Reed Li, Founding Partner of i Communications in Hong Kong, takes the Telum spotlight in this edition. A history aficionado turned publicist, Reed talks about meditation, gems in Harold Burson's book and what she thinks will be evergreen and trending in 2023. 

By way of introduction
I co-founded i Communications in 2021 to help tech startups - from brand comms to investor relations. In autumn 2022, I co-started a podcast and content channel with Ariel Chan Ka-Pui - media veteran, ex-RTHK, Producer and Host - to converse about matters ranging from current affairs, art and culture to history and beyond.    

First job
Associate at SPRG, where I first picked up basic knowledge around capital market and financial comms.

Schedule of a typical workday
Start with mindfulness: meditate, water my plants and a sip of coffee or tea.
Read news and get ready.
‘Work mode’ on, during which I’m less likely to respond to instant messages instantly.
Wrap up with an upbeat workout session, a relaxing happy hour drink or simply stay in with a nice book on hand.

Top 3 daily reads
Bloomberg, Nikkei Asia and multiple Chinese titles in Hong Kong.

A secret fun fact about yourself
I came to Hong Kong from Mainland China to study history at university, fretting that I’d never land a job in this ‘financial city’ after graduation. 

Your stress reliever
Meditation.
Spending time at PURE (both yoga and fitness centres).

Most admired person in the media / comms industry
Harold Burson.

His autobiography, The Business of Persuasion, is a worthwhile read, not only from a PR / comms perspective but also for its historic value - a time capsule that stores and projects how the world, the global and American economy and different stages of globalisation have evolved since WWII. I find chapter five the most intriguing though, Big-Time: Reporting the Nuremberg Trial, where the 24-year-old Burson was chosen to cover the trial, one of the most significant events in the 20^th century, for the American Forces Network (AFN), the US military radio network in Europe.

Advice to anyone starting out in comms
Curiosity is the greatest fertiliser for our growth.

One thing you would change about the comms industry
If I’m to be specific about Hong Kong’s comms industry: more Hong Kong-originated thought-leadership press titles (or mindset) dedicated for industry verticals, in both Chinese and English. 

Comms trends to look out for in 2023

• Traditional media still matters (a lot)
• Quality content still always stands out
• A more rapidly expanding network of boutique agency brands  
• Blockchain / Web 3.0 / crypto / NFTs are going to stay despite the bumpiness
• Even more communications channels to look after: Discord, Telegram, Medium, podcasts, Reddit… on top of the ‘old school’ social platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.