Founder, lead consultant

Mark Dudley Smith is a British writer and communications specialist in Tokyo, with over 15 years’ experience working in Asia as a journalist, editor, public relations director and strategic communications consultant for government and business.

Mark left the UK in 2005 with a degree in English Language & Literature to cut his teeth as a newspaper reporter and magazine editor in Singapore and Thailand.

He developed a career in communications at global PR firm Hill+Knowlton Strategies, leading Asia campaigns for international brands across consumer and industry sectors, including Microsoft, LG, Ford, Starbucks, DHL and Rolls-Royce.

In 2011, Mark moved to Tokyo to join a Japanese PR agency where he helped international and Japanese clients communicate effectively the safety of ‘made-in-Japan’ following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

He was recruited by the British Embassy Tokyo in 2012 to apply private sector expertise to the promotion of Britain's priorities in Japan. As Head of Media, Communications and Marketing, he spent five years leading a large team responsible for the British government’s public-facing communications in the region.

Developing a network of British and Japanese brands, agencies and media partners, Mark has worked on campaigns for Olympics, Rugby World Cups, Formula 1 and led press handling for high-profile visits to Japan by prime ministers, industry leaders and members of the British royal family.

A Japanese and Thai speaker, Mark has specialist expertise in crisis communications for government and business. He is a regular speaker and trainer on press handling and social media strategy in a crisis.

With a background in journalism and love for language, he founded Smith & Edit to return to his roots as a writer, while working with clients as lead consultant to help them build communications strategies and pursue new ways of engaging audiences for social impact and business success.

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