Women to Watch 2021: Carol Yeung, Golin

Carol Yeung

Vice president
Golin
Hong Kong

Carol Yeung began her career at FleishmanHillard in 2009, and thereafter moved to Edelman where she worked with clients including Ikea, Samsung, Tesla, Shell, MGM and HK Express. Her star quality was recognised in 2016 when she scooped the Young PR Professional of the Year accolade from PRWeek.

Joining Golin Hong Kong in 2019 as a senior manager, it wasn’t long before Yeung rose to become VP. Her quick climb up the ranks is owed to her drive, compassion, understanding of client needs, and ability to formulate data. In a little over two years at Golin, she has been the driving force behind the expansion of the company’s consumer team, delivering up to 200% in YOY revenue for Amazon Book Depository and helping Hong Kong's Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to become more relevant with younger audiences by aiding with their digital communications transformation.

Yeung continues to lead award-winning insight-driven campaigns and win major contracts. This includes a two-year contract for EPD’s Reduce and Recycle 2.0, which has seen her create a new character—Greeny—to educate the public about clean recycling.

In 2020, amid the global pandemic, Yeung secured new clients including EPD, L'Oréal, Pacific Place, Four Seasons and Grand Lisboa Palace. Her portfolio accounts for approximately 42% of the agency’s total revenue in 2021 and she also regularly reports top marks in client satisfaction scores.

Yeung has also been instrumental in thought leadership and encouraging synergy within the industry, leading and organising the first-ever IPG ‘Shine a Light’ event with other sister agencies under the group, including Jack Morton and MullenLowe. For the inaugural IPG event, Yeung invited a panel of speakers from esports, a clinical psychologist for child development, a teacher at an ESF school and a senior editor from SCMP to contribute their thoughts around the topic: ‘The Importance of Play: Redefining Successful Development and Education’.

Yeung also launched Golin’s ESG practice which has so far included a waste reduction and recycling campaign for EPD as well as a ‘L'Oréal for the Future’ cross-brand recycling initiative. In 2020, this practice grew to approximately 17% of the company’s revenue. It didn’t hurt that Yeung is passionate in this area, having embarked on a Harvard Business School qualification in sustainable business strategy.