Thursday, November 2, 2017 1:00 pm

JAKARTA, Indonesia (From news reports) -- The PR machine behind the controversial Asia Pulp and Paper has been hit by another blow as the company's group communications director Lu Ching Lau leaves after just one year.

Lau is the latest person to leave the paper giant's spin team, after Randy Salim, the head of global communications, walked just four months ago. In addition, last year the company's media spokesman for Singapore, Jose Raymond, left after just eight months.

The company is also in the middle of hosting a global pitch for a new PR agency, which is expected to conclude at the end of November.

APP confirmed that Lau was leaving the company for personal reasons, saying in a statement: "We wish her all the best for her future endeavours."

Former Singapore army general Bernard Tan, who was recently appointed as APP's head of corporate affairs and sustainability, will take over her role as managing director for global communications on top of his current responsibilities.

Frequently attacked by environmental groups, including Greenpeace, for its green record, APP has become known for its contribution to bad air quality - known as the haze - in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. as a result of land clearance and burning in Sumatra.

To help combat this image, APP appointed Aida Greenbury as its sustainability head in 2014. However, earlier this year, after Tan's appointment, Greenbury abruptly left the company. Her role was taken over by Elim Sritaba.

It is understood that Tan will take over from Lau's role for an interim period.

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