​​​​Michelle Ling​

Director of Communications,
Private Wealth Management Technology and Operations

​First Republic Bank – San Francisco, California, USA

2014 - 2015

• Internal/executive communication vision and strategy - developed and launched a compelling vision to capture hearts and minds in support of executive management's extremely ambitious, complex (and jargon-heavy) plan to transform its entire technological platform.

• Communication/training/change management juggernaut of one - conceived, produced, wrote, edited, managed, and measured a comprehensive array of media channels (email, intranet/social media, print, video, virtual and face-to-face meetings) to educate, inform, and influence ~400 stakeholders across the organization, from senior executives, to portfolio managers, to operations associates. Key accomplishments include:

  • Development of "elegant," "inspiring" internal marketing strategy that effectively explained the aim in a simple, consistent, memorable way;

  • Wildly popular internal videos

  • Well-trafficked, vibrant intranet/social media channel

• Served as strategic, creative, and executive communication advisor to team leaders in developing constructive and effective relationships with their business partners and internal clients.

 

Executive Communications Manager – Global and Enterprise Sales, Services Platform Group, Services Transformation Team

​Cisco Systems, Inc. — San Jose, California, USA

2012 - 2013

• Developed and executed communication strategy for senior executives who lead futuristic “smart services” development; Cisco’s services transformation; the world’s largest enterprise customer sales unit; and U.S. public sector sales.  Liaised across functions and geographies to engage external audiences, which included public/analyst/investor relations, customers, inclusion and diversity, philanthropic; and to engage internal audiences within and across teams.

• Acted as trusted advisor in shaping each executive’s strategic platform, voice and image, both internally and externally, via a holistic, multi-channel communication approach that maximized the executive’s strongest communication skills via her/his most effective channels.  These channels included large-audience speeches as well as intimate high-touch customer engagements; tele-presence or other virtual meetings; video addresses; email and blogs; tweets and other social media.

• Built strong relationships with functional subject-matter experts, and worked as part of global team in close collaboration with regional, functional and communications partners to ensure organizational alignment and efficiency.

• Directed and managed teams of content/editorial, web, social media, graphics and design, video producers from project inception through successful delivery to post-project metrics and analysis.

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Manager, Global Communications –

Senior Executive and Internal Communications

​HSBC Holdings, plc – one of the world’s largest financial institutions, London, UK

2007 - 2010

• Developed and implemented complex global communication campaigns for 310,000 employees across 86 countries, in 9 primary languages; channels for these included online (internet, intranet and social media), toolkits and templates, video, virtual and web conferences and live events.

• Developed strategic messages and communication plans for senior executives regarding business strategy, financial performance, corporate culture and other key issues.  Worked closely with internal and external partners in public affairs, investor relations, human resources, learning and development, and talent management and executive development to ensure effective messaging was delivered in the most appropriate media.

• Wrote and edited speeches, letters, script notes, FAQs and e-mails from the Group CEO, Group Chairman, and other senior executives for all communications channels for both internal and external audiences. 

• Group CEO Roadshow – lead manager of annual global tour of 29 countries over 25 days in 8 languages, featuring the top executive’s live presentation, video, “town hall” interaction and live satellite links to remote venues.

• Financial Results – managed all aspects of semi-annual worldwide press conference broadcast via live satellite in London and Hong Kong including all production and logistics, press coordination, and global employee communication.

• Produced and managed corporate interviews and video of the Group CEO, Group Chairman and select key executive management; managed translation, distribution and employee feedback metrics globally.

• Managed relationships and contracts with external communication agencies, video production, event management and media companies, as well as liaising with internal constituent partners globally.

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Communications Manager, Global Commercial Banking

​HSBC Holdings, plc – at Asia-Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong

2005-2007

• Founded a global communication department serving commercial banking customers and employees across 62 countries, in 9 primary languages.

• Led strategic development and implementation of global brand campaign across 26 key markets, working with agency, marketing and advertising, and communications partners throughout the organization.

• Developed and managed global internal communication channels including intranet and social media, monthly newsletter, video, and live events.

• Managed executive strategy conferences and events.

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Communications Consultant, Group Cards

​HSBC North America – at card headquarters in Salinas, CA, USA

2004-2005

• Lead media and community relations representative responsible for press releases business unit press statements and responses to inquiries, media relations and philanthropic promotion.

• Writer and strategist to senior management on communication of strategy, key business messages, image and issues management, organizational changes, etc.

• Planned and managed executive communication programs, from all-employee roadshow across 7 locations nationally to top executive strategy retreats.

• Developed and managed content for weekly internal multimedia plasma screen channel that included streaming video content, news ticker, and key business news. 

• Wrote, edited and published a wide range of content for internal communication channels including intranet site, monthly newsletter, video, and live events.

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Communications Manager, Benefits and HR Policies

​HSBC North America – at North American headquarters in Chicago, IL

2003-2004

• Developed and executed comprehensive plan for effectively and positively communicating the new benefits plans, employee programs, and human resources policies to a combined North American organization.

• Managed creation, production and distribution of all employee benefits material, from legal notices and forms to employee magazine articles and media and public relations placements.

• Managed all aspects of communication of two separate sets of benefits, service, and human resources policies to “legacy” (~35,000 pp.) and “HSBC” (~20,000 pp.) employees across USA and Canada, until HSBC and Household were integrated.

• Developed and managed relationships with industry consultants, freelance writers and production vendors in connection with all benefits and HR policies products.

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Senior Editor, Card Services

​HSBC North America – at card headquarters in Salinas, CA, USA 

(nee Household International)

2002-2003

• Key writer and strategist for senior executive communications regarding strategy, key business messages, international outsourcing, off-shoring, and other sensitive business issues.

• Developed, edited and published monthly four-color, glossy employee publication for Card Services employees (~6,500 pp.) across 5 locations nationally.

• Key liaison to national and global corporate partners regarding internal and external communication.

• Produced and directed senior management video addresses, interviews.

• Core manager of employee internal communication system conversion from “green screens” to full-service intranet; developed and implemented editorial production and management systems; set tone and style of editorial content.

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Writer, Editor

​California Monthly – the magazine of the California Alumni Association

(circ. ~150,000)

1998-2000

• Reported and wrote award-winning features and short pieces.

• Researched and developed story ideas for departments and features throughout the magazine.

• Consulted on layout and design, and performed copyediting and proofreading throughout entire production process.

• Assisted in developing and maintaining and “stable “of freelance writers, editors and production houses.

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Features Writer

​San Jose Magazine

1998-1999

• Reported and wrote award-winning features on current issues facing the Silicon Valley area, including education, ethnicity and race, and gender.

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Author

​1999

• Bingo!” – a chapter about senior citizens in Las Vegas for The Real Las Vegas, a book edited by David Littlejohn, published by Oxford University Press, July 1999.

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Reporter, Copyeditor

​The Point Reyes Light Newspaper, Point Reyes, CA’s Pulitzer Prize-winning weekly newspaper, circ.

1997

• Reported, wrote and edited articles for this tiny but mighty Pulitzer Prize-winning weekly newspaper.

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