LONDON — Chris Talago has left Amazon Web Services (AWS) after two years to start a new role at software giant Adobe, heading up its communications function across EMEA and Asia Pacific.

Talago had been EMEA director of PR and communications for AWS, Amazon’s cloud computing platform, since 2020. He was previously Oracle's vice president of PR and communications across EMEA and APAC for four years, and before that spent eight years at WE Communications as EVP and general manager for EMEA.

In the newly-created role of senior director of marketing and communications for EMEA and APAC at Adobe, Talago will be responsible for integrated communications across the business, including PR and social media.

Talago told PRovoke Media: “It’s a great role for a great brand that is at a real inflection point and doing really interesting integrated communications work. I can hopefully bring my 20 years’ experience in how integrating across functions and geographies can deliver real value to customers to Adobe’s next stage of development.”

He said his priority was to “deliver international capability, everything from closer links and engagement with the HQ team through to the way in which we think about measurement and use of data to shape our campaigns, to close connections with other functions.

“I’m a big believer in being close to the sales teams and what the business needs us to do – it’s walking a tightrope between the global needs of the brand and what local country communications needs in the field.”

Talago added that there were “no plans at the moment” to review Adobe’s agencies across the two regions. These include Ketchum, which has been working with Adobe in the UK for the past 18 months and has produced work including the multi-award-winning ‘Love the Journey’ campaign featuring rapper Little Simz.

Adobe also works with Golin in Europe and other agencies around the world on various aspects of its business, including Edelman, Hotwire, and WE Communications in Australia and New Zealand.

Talago will be supported in the role by a “seasoned team” including Stephanie Saissay, director of EMEA communications, and Suzie Brady, director of APAC communications.

He will report into Adobe’s vice president of marketing for EMEA and APAC, Simon Morris, who said: “Adobe’s strategy to empower everyone to imagine and express their ideas and create personalised experiences represents a huge opportunity for growth.

"We’re constantly innovating, and it is in this vein that I welcome Chris to my leadership team; his big brand experience in integrated communications, along with a reputation for using data to drive insights, will no doubt support the successful execution of our plans.”