About Ken Hickson

A journalist by training, working in newspapers, magazines, radio & television in New Zealand, before he succumbed to the wider world of communications, including public relations for airlines and a host of businesses throughout the Asia Pacific.

He has been an enthusiast for the environment well before it became popular, supporting the World Wide Fund for Nature, acting as their honorary representative in Singapore for 4 years and now serving as a Governor of WWF Australia, also providing business, communications and fund-raising support.

For 17 years, Ken lived and worked in Singapore, initially as a public affairs consultant to Singapore Airlines, then setting up his own consultancy, Hickson Public Relations, to service local, regional and international clients, including BMW, Intel, Hitachi, Canon, Caltex & DHL. In 1996, his business was acquired by one of the largest communications companies in the world, Fleishman Hillard, and he continued to manage its Singapore operations and help the business expand throughout Asia Pacific.

He authored the non-fiction account of a major airline disaster “Flight 901 to Erebus”, spent a month with scientists in the Antarctic and worked on television’s “Science Express” program. He has a depth of experience in aviation, airline, travel and tourism sectors having worked for the national tourism organisations of Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, and for airlines including Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Lufthansa and United.

Ken moved to Australia at the end of 2000, where he has occupied himself consulting, writing and lecturing. He is an Associate Professor adjunct at the University of the Sunshine Coast where he has managed production workshops, programs for community groups, lectured, as well as launched a new course on International Communications, now in its fourth year.

He has worked with communication consultancies in Australia and overseas, including Three Plus and Rowland.  He is a dedicated supporter of the creative industries and the arts, organising art exhibitions, concerts by the Australian String Quartet and promoting the work of his artist wife M and sculptor son Dave Hickson.

He believes climate change is a reality we all need to face up to. We can adapt and change the course of history. He urges recognition for carbon in its many forms and many uses. He would like this century to be called  “The Age of Carbon” and encourages United Nations and Governments to provide leadership to lead industry and communities away from the drastic consequences of climate change.

He is currently working with clients as well as other specialist consultants within Australia and overseas to deliver services required to deal with the issues and opportunities presented by climate change.

His book “The ABC of Carbon” is out now.  1 August 2009

Contact Ken here.