HAMBURG--Sven Jacobsen will take over as VP of corporate communications at Beiersdorf AG on October 1, 2012, reporting to Stefan Heidenreich, chairman of the executive board of Beiersdorf AG. Since 2006, Jacobsen has been in charge of corporate communications at the Media-Saturn group, Europe's largest electrical and electronic goods retailer. At Media-Saturn, he restructured and reoriented the company's national and international corporate communications while at the same time internally positioning it as a service provider for all business units. Before joining Media-Saturn, he held several management positions within the communications units at Metro Group and Henkel.

LUXEMBOURG—Oliver Fahlbusch has been named head of RTL Group corporate communications. Fahlbusch joined the entertainment company in 2006, as deputy head of corporate communications after holding positions at Bertelsmann's corporate communications department. In his new role, he will oversee the group's internal and external communications, reporting to Anke Schäferkordt and Guillaume de Posch, co-CEOs of RTL Group.

DUBAI--MasterCard has appointed Sami Lahoud as vice president of communications for the Middle East and Africa. Based in Dubai, Sami will draw upon his broad communications and journalism experience in the region to optimize MasterCard's brand visibility and reputation across the three main divisions that compose the MEA region, namely; Middle East & North Africa (MENA), Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa. Before joining MasterCard, Sami worked with Barclays where he established the corporate affairs function for the emerging markets region.

LONDON--Following a competitive pitch process earlier this year, John Doe has been appointed to deliver a global PR project to support the Chivas Regal ‘Here’s to Real Friends’ campaign. Chivas Regal launched the ‘Here’s to Real Friends’ campaign in late 2011 with the release of two cinematic films directed by Academy Award-winning short filmmaker, Joachim Back. The films focus on the trials, tribulations and idiosyncrasies of modern male friendship and have so far been launched in key territories including Asia, South America, Europe and the US. The films are the latest instalment of Chivas Regal’s ‘Live with Chivalry’ campaign, which launched in 2008, encouraging men to aspire not just to have more, but to be more.

LONDON--W Communications has recruited Richard Tompkins as Head of its consumer division. Tompkins joins the agency from Light Brigade PR and has previously worked at agencies including House PR and Fleishman-Hillard where he managed PR strategy for clients across corporate, consumer and the third sector. He brings over eight years’ blue-chip consumer experience gained from advising high-profile clients on global, European and UK communications including Virgin Media, Stella Artois, British Airways, MTV, Nike and Coca-Cola, and celebrity clients including Joe Calzaghe and the Beckhams.

LONDON--Grayling has appointed Sophia Harrison as director of its financial & professional services team. Harrison has 14 years’ experience working both in-house and agency. Most recently she was communications director at TLG and VP corporate communications & public affairs at the Blackstone Group. She has also held senior roles at Standard & Poors Fund Services and Fitch. In a related move, Grayling director Yvonne Maher is taking up the role of director, energy & industry, to focus on building the agency’s UK energy practice. Maher currently leads Grayling’s Nabucco Gas Pipeline and OMV accounts and previously worked in-house for ExxonMobil in Brussels. Harrison and Maher will both report to Mary Whenman, Managing Director of Grayling’s Corporate & Financial practice.

LONDON—Man Bites Dog’s digital team has won the UK communications brief for Rocket Fuel, a digital advertising company. Man Bites Dog is also supporting the company’s expansion across Europe, as the award-winning US firm seeks to replicate its success on this side of the Atlantic. The communications program will be designed to raise awareness of the company and its suite of artificial intelligence online advertising solutions in the UK.