LONDON — Fast-growing agency Woodrow has grown its senior team with four new hires to boost its employee engagement and leadership coaching offer.

Employee experience and internal communications specialist Emma Tolhurst (pictured, centre) joins Woodrow as employee engagement lead; her previous roles include nearly 24 years at Accenture, latterly as global people communications lead.

Former Cabinet Office advisor and communications coach Edward Staite (pictured, left) has also joined as leadership coaching lead; his previous roles include leading the UK government’s communications around the Covid vaccine rollout.

In addition, Emmy award-winning producer Winnie Dunbar Nelson – a former producer of the Oprah Winfrey Show – and former Innocent head of people Helen Hatton join Woodrow as consultants.

The new team are already working with clients, using a proprietary management training model for C-suite leaders and new managers.

Woodrow’s founder Charlie Tarr (pictured, right) said the agency was expanding its services due to increased demand for integrated communication strategies and internal stakeholder management in the UK and US: “We work in business-critical communications, and it’s become clear that leaders need to include leadership and employee engagement in their plans.

“Strategic comms requires the knowledge of what leadership truly means today, and what it’s like to be an employee in 2024. It’s about a watertight service that links culture, leadership and management. That’s why I'm so pleased we managed to secure our new team. Frankly, these guys are the best at what they do. Not only are clients going to get their expertise and insight, but the crew will learn so much from their decades of experience.”

Tolhurst added: “With so many demands on businesses to reinvent the entire workforce experience, there are huge complexities facing company culture, as well as major opportunities. Navigating this new world isn’t easy. That’s why I’m delighted to be working with Charlie and the Woodrow team to enable culture to come to life for our clients.”

And Staite said: “As the lines between people and tech continue to blur, it's those who communicate well who stand out and help others to thrive. It’s so exciting with Woodrow to be working with leaders who are at the forefront of shaping conversations around the biggest issues facing society today.”

Woodrow was founded five years ago and has been named in the FT1000 2024. The agency, whose clients include Bloomberg, Medtronic, and Choose Love, recently appointed former FleishmanHillard UK and Middle East CEO Jim Donaldson as its chair and forged a strategic partnership with French agency Taddeo. The agency was a finalist in the PRovoke Media EMEA corporate agency of the year awards.