As founder of TAVO Advisory, Stephen helps firms to earn and safeguard their reputations across the Asia-Pacific region.

Previously, Stephen served as Head of Brand and Communications at AIA Group from 2012 to 2021, where he played a pivotal role in shaping and executing AIA’s communications strategy, both internally and externally. Notably, he spearheaded the launch of AIA’s purpose-driven brand initiative: Healthier, Longer, Better Lives.

Before his tenure at AIA, Stephen was Managing Director and Head of Corporate Affairs for Citigroup (“Citi”) in China, in Shanghai. In this capacity, he served as the primary spokesperson for the bank in China and oversaw a holistic communications strategy, as well as the bank’s engagement with diverse stakeholders.

Stephen’s professional journey commenced at Burson-Marsteller (now Burson), where he worked across the firm’s Melbourne and Hong Kong offices. His consulting encompassed various facets of public relations, including financial communications, media relations, public affairs, crisis and issues management, analyst relations, and speechwriting.

Recognized as an industry leader, Stephen was named in the Influence 100 list in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2020, an annual compilation by Provoke Media highlighting the most influential in-house communicators globally. In 2019, Stephen served as Chairman of the Public Affairs Asia Gold Standard Awards.

Stephen is a Board Trustee of the Institute for Public Relations. He holds a Bachelor’s degree of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Melbourne Business School.