LONDON — Technology specialist Clarity has hired its first global head of impact and planning, bringing Alex Judd on board to work on insights and measurement across the agency’s clients.

Judd joins from Grayling, where he had been digital director since 2017, running the agency’s global planning and management tool suite.

Over his career, including roles at Bluepost Digital, Fishburn and Red, Judd has created proprietary methodologies, based on AMEC’s Integrated Evaluation Framework, for measuring the effectiveness of client work, as well as building technology that enables clients to take control of their search engine presence.

In his new role, Judd will be based in London, reporting into Jon Meakin, Clarity’s North America president, who also joined the firm from Grayling in September last year.

Clarity founder and CEO Sami McCabe said: “To be making these investments in the current economic climate reflects the underlying strength of our business, and our confidence in future growth prospects. Alex joins an already exceptionally strong global team focused on realising our vision for a new type of agency that combines the pace, agility and proactivity of a boutique, with the scale, reach and impact of a large global firm. This is only the first of many major developments we have planned for 2021, and we can’t wait to get cracking.”

Judd added: "I’m delighted to be joining Clarity’s smart and ambitious team at such a crucial moment for our industry. Clarity is on a mission to be at the forefront of those blending the art and science of proper integrated communications with the all-important goal of delivering results that truly kick ass for our clients.”

Other senior hires and promotions at the agency include Kara Silverman joining as managing director, New York; Ruth Sarfaty becoming head of client Services; and Rachel Gilley being elevated to EMEA president alongside her UK managing director role.

In 2020, Clarity said it had seen record revenue growth of 43% year-on-year. Recent investments in the business including the acquisition of Yellow Communications in Benelux in September, the acquisition of Brew PR in Los Angeles as Clarity became part of the Brewery family of companies,, and of consumer tech agency Dynamo in London in 2019.