LONDON — Edelman has brought together its public affairs, financial and corporate reputation teams in London into one corporate affairs practice, and strengthened the leadership team with the appointment of Jeremy Lucas as managing director of the practice, and Andy Bloxham as a senior director.

Lucas (pictured) joins from four years at Ogilvy, where he was latterly a managing partner and corporate affairs lead, following six years at Teneo Blue Rubicon. He will be responsible for leading Edelman’s 80-strong corporate reputation team, and modernising the agency’s approach to integrated reputation management and campaigns.

Bloxham joins Edelman as head of corporate strategy from MHP, where he spent two years as corporate MD after five years at Bell Pottinger, where he was a founding partner of its integrated campaigns team, Engage. Bloxham will lead the corporate positioning and narrative development work for some of Edelman’s major clients.

Lucas and Bloxham form part of the newly-established corporate affairs leadership team, which also includes public affairs MD James Morris, executive director and chief counsel Will Walden (formerly senior counsel to Prime Minister Boris Johnson), Europe and CIS crisis practice lead Duncan Gallagher and senior directors Shauna McCarthy and Iain Dey.

Under the leadership of corporate affairs general manager Hugh Taggart, the newly integrated division will be central to Edelman’s plans to integrate its corporate and advisory services.

Taggart said of Lucas and Bloxham: “We are thrilled to bring in two advisors and leaders of their calibre, energy and integrity. They are both highly tuned to the reputational challenges of business leaders and have outstanding experience advising major brands. Most importantly they will sharpen our thinking and delivery capabilities for clients and accelerate the development of our talented teams.”

The two hires come in addition to associate directors Jennifer Giff (ex-FleishmanHillard Fishburn) and Stephanie Glover (ex-Pagefield), who have recently joined to boost Edelman’s crisis communications capabilities.