LONDON — Edelman has appointed director Gavin Spicer as its new chief operating officer in the UK.

The promotion follows former EMEA technology lead and COO Justin Westcott being named as Edelman’s global technology chair, replacing Sanjay Nair, who left the firm last month.

Spicer, who joined Edelman 13 years ago, led the creation of Edelman’s dedicated Microsoft team, Assembly, in in the UK in 2016, bringing the agency’s Microsoft work – including for Xbox, Bing and SwiftKey – into one integrated team.

In his new role as COO, Spicer will focus on driving collaboration, integration and innovation across the firm, as well as overseeing the UK team’s move to new offices in London. He will also continue to lead Edelman Assembly UK as managing director.

Edelman UK co-CEO Ruth Warder said: “Gav has been an integral part of Edelman over the last 13 years. I am excited for him to take on this pivotal role. His innovative approach to solving business challenges through incubating ideas and new ways of working, alongside his empathetic leadership style perfectly places him to take on the position of COO.”

Spicer added: “I’m excited to take on the role of COO, continuing to build a culture that nurtures and develops our talent, supporting our teams to do their best work, in the most efficient, and collaborative way. Our move will play a central role in our future and I am focused on ensuring a smooth transition to our new home.”