Geopolitical Risk and Compliance Expert Chris Torrens Joins APCO as Managing Director of Greater China

BEIJING – March 12, 2024: Chris Torrens, a veteran risk and compliance expert with more than two decades of experience providing strategic advice for multinational clients across industries, joined APCO as the managing director of Greater China, Chairman of the Asia Region Masayo Nagai announced today.

“With decades of experience and a proven track record of helping global clients navigate risks, enter new markets and seize critical opportunities, Chris brings deep knowledge of crucial geopolitical and regulatory considerations for businesses operating across China, as well as in emerging markets in the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia,” Nagai said.

Prior to joining APCO, Torrens was a partner at Control Risks, where he led the geopolitical risk and compliance teams in EMEA and Greater China for 18 years. Prior to Control Risks, Torrens served as a Shanghai-based associate director in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ advisory practice and as the Hong Kong-based head of research at Batey Burn, a UK government relations and public affairs consultancy, which was acquired by APCO in 1999.

“I have always loved working in China, especially helping companies to understand and succeed in this complex market. To have the opportunity to join APCO’s hugely experienced local team and be a part of one of the most reputable advisory and advocacy firms worldwide is a privilege: I look forward to serving as a trusted advisor to our clients during this fast-changing period in global geopolitical and trade relations.”

Torrens has lived in Greater China for nearly 25 years. He holds an MBA from the China-Europe International Business School and a BA Honours degree in Modern Chinese Studies from Leeds University. His book, “Doing Business in China,” was published by The Economist in 2010.

Torrens joins APCO during a milestone moment for the firm. In celebration of its 40th anniversary, APCO recently launched a new brand identity, looking to the future built on its continued effort to provide advisory and advocacy services that help clients navigate global complexities through building un/common ground℠ to achieve progress. APCO began as a single-person operation with the idea that clients need to have the freedom to look across the spectrum and not have the solution be defined by the kind of firm they approached. Now, with over 1,200 employees in more than 30 offices worldwide, APCO’s global team works together across borders and functions to help clients face the unknown.