Dominique Backhouse
Managing directorCompanion CommunicationsHong Kong
In the summertime of 2019, as Hong Kong was embroiled within the thick of socio-political protests and on the verge of a pandemic that may decimate it for the subsequent three years, Dominique Backhouse, a seasoned communication skilled, based Companion Communications, her personal way of life PR company. Trying again on the macroeconomic adversity of these years, it wasn’t the sweetest enterprise concept to go solo on the time, however hindsight is an ideal factor—at all times twenty-twenty.
With 15 years of expertise in communications throughout Asia-Pacific and Better China, Backhouse’s innate understanding of native cultural nuances turned a cornerstone for her company’s success. The enterprise specialises in hospitality, journey, F&B, and wellness, and has witnessed phenomenal development during the last 4 years with initiatives, folks, and earnings—not essentially in that order. Earlier than Companion, Backhouse honed her craft at companies like MSL, GHC Asia and in-house with COMO Inns and Resorts.
Her story is not nearly launching a enterprise; it’s about thriving in adversity, a testomony to her strategic prowess and utmost agility in shifting comms experiences, budgets and methods to fulfill the altering laws and shopper expectations within the Covid interval. Though the company didn’t escape the financial sledgehammer of the pandemic-induced closures, Backhouse and her groups rose to the problem and in some way managed to flourish. They doubled their portfolio, attracted world shoppers like Fairmont Inns and Resorts, Teardrop Inns, Shangri-La Group, ballooned from a single-person military to a workforce of seven senior consultants and expanded to the Singapore market.
Backhouse’s contribution to the business extends past enterprise. She envisioned Companion because the area’s solely senior-led consultancy, staying boutique to prioritise shopper servicing. As passionate as she is about servicing shoppers, she is much more emboldened by discovering methods to empower ladies returning to the workforce, a truth evident with Companion’s sixth maternity go away association. A agency believer in flexibility and supportive work environments, Backhouse rejects the business norm of lengthy working hours and lives by the “free-range PRs are higher than computer-bound ones” philosophy.
With unwavering dedication, she leads Companion Communications, crafting a story the place adversity transforms into alternative, making her a noteworthy determine within the 40 Underneath 40 record of younger achievers.