BEIJING – Weber Shandwick(万博宣伟) has hired Alistair Nicholas as Executive Vice President of Public Affairs, Asia Pacific. He will be responsible for Weber Shandwick’s reputation management and public affairs business in China and will also lead the firm’s regional Public Affairs practice across the Asia Pacific region. Based in Beijing, Nicholas will report to managing director of China, David Liu, and have a dotted line reporting relationship to Baxter Jolly, vice chairman of Asia Pacific, who has overall responsibility for all of the firm’s specialist regional practice areas. Nicholas comes to Weber Shandwick with a distinguished track record in strategic public affairs consulting. Prior to joining the firm, he served as president and CEO of AC Capital Strategic Consulting, a leading independent consultancy firm based in Beijing, which he founded in 2003. During his past 10 years in China, he has provided top level strategic advice to a range of companies, including many Global Fortune 500 companies. Prior to moving to China, Nicholas was Australia’s Trade Commissioner to the World Bank and the United Nations, based at the Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C. Nicholas is a well known and sought after media commentator, public speaker and writer on business and communications issues in China. He also plays an active role in a number of business and industry associations.