Managing Director, Sandpiper Health
Senior Executive Director, Sandpiper China
Recipient of The Gold Standard Award for Professional Excellence in 2023 by PRCA / PublicAffairsAsia
With more than 20 years of experience in government relations, public affairs, and public relations campaigns around the world, Robert is an experienced advisor to executives and an effective manager and business leader.
Since July 2022, Robert leads Sandpiper Health, the 25-people-strong unit within the Sandpiper Group that works on healthcare communications and public affairs projects across the Asia Pacific. The unit supports clients in the pharmaceutical industry, medical device makers, hospital management groups, and health insurance-related organizations, while helping strengthen the skills of patient and caregiver groups in Asia, as part of a multi-year pro-bono commitment.
Robert is also the head of Sandpiper China since November 2021, previously known as North Head. Launched at the end of 2010, Robert is one of the founders of North Head. The well-known and respected strategic communications consultancy, focusing on public affairs, government relations, and corporate communications was the largest independent consultancy of its kind in China. As one of the principals of North Head, Robert supervised issue campaigns across Asia, focusing on topics such as financial literacy, quality of life issues for patients, sustainability and environmental protection, rural development, and poverty alleviation. On behalf of his clients, he led engagements with national and local governments across the region, including for projects in Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Singapore.
From 2003 to 2010, Robert served as vice president at the Tokyo and Beijing offices of Weber Shandwick, strengthening the regional public affairs and corporate communications offering of the global PR giant. Among other assignments, Robert led the international media campaign work of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games from 2007 to 2009.
Robert is a native of Hungary, speaks English, Japanese, French, and Hungarian, and is learning Mandarin. He holds degrees from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, Japan and Georgetown University in Washington DC, USA. He is also the author of the chapter: “Public Affairs in China: At a Crossroads?” in the book “Public Affairs: A Global Perspective” published in 2016 by Urbane Publications.
