Holmes Report 29 Jul 2019 // 12:00AM GMT
AMSTERDAM — Netflix has hired Oliver Rawlins to lead EMEA comms. He replaces EMEA corporate comms director Sarah Ryan, who has left to join tech investment firm Naspers. Rawlins’ remit covers markets including the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Turkey, the Middle East and Africa. He joins from FremantleMedia, where he was group director of communications. He held the same role at Guardian Media Group.
LONDON — The Public Relations and Communications Association's first international president, Barry Leggetter has resigned after five months. He told the Holmes Report that he had concluded that responsibility for growing the PRCA internationally was already being met, but that he and director general Francis Ingham had parted amicably, with Ingham saying in a note to PRCA staff that he was “leaving as a personal friend, and as a friend of the PRCA” who had made “significant improvements to the PRCA international offering.” During his time with the organisation, Leggetter delivered the first PRCA International Conference. Before joining the PRCA in February he was previously chief executive of measurement organisation AMEC for 11 years.
LONDON — FleishmanHillard Fishburn has hired Nathan Woodhead (pictured) as creative director. Over his career he has worked for companies including Brooklyn Brothers and has developed campaigns for the likes of BIC, Inspired by Iceland and Land Rover. Woodhead will help drive creativity and integration across five of the agency’s practices as well as its Creative Studio, working with executive creative director Kev O’Sullivan. He will also oversee FHF’s Creative Apprentices scheme. O’Sullivan said: “There is only one Nathan Woodhead - when you find this type of talent, you never let go. Inspiring, courageous and smart, as well as fun and kind - the embodiment of FHF.”
BRISTOL, UK — Supermarket chain Aldi has appointed employee engagement specialist Synergy Creative as its employee engagement partner to support internal communications with its 36,000 colleagues across the UK and Ireland. The brief includes support with internal communications strategy, creative campaigns and measurement. Aldi communications director Richard Thornton said: “We have seen a huge amount of growth in the last few years and this expansion is driven by our people, so it is more important than ever to ensure we are communicating well with all colleagues across the business. We were looking for an agency that could act as an extension to our internal communications team and Synergy Creative was the perfect fit.”
LONDON — The PRCA has hired the CIPR’s communications public relations manager Koray Camgoz as its new head of communications and marketing. He replaces Matt Cartmell, who is leaving the organisation to start his own communications and content consultancy. Camgoz joined the CIPR in 2012.
LONDON — Brandnation has been appointed by BorderlessLive Festival, the new festival for aspiring and expert content creators and influencers. The agency has been briefed to handle all PR and communications, with a digital and influencer focus, to create excitement around the event, which takes place in London this September.
BIRMINGHAM, UK — Branding agency Orb has purchased Superdream, the Midland marketing agency that went into administration on 5 July. Former staffers Hannah Moreton and Aaron Jones have joined Orb’s management team as head of client services and head of digital respectively and will work with Orb founder Rob Bloxham to offer clients a full suite of marcomms and advertising services.
LONDON – Entertainment marketing agency Think Jam has made a number of senior hires to strengthen its publicity, social, design, online advertising and video storytelling offer. Thea Parnell joins as client service director; Claire Dikecogu is the new social media director; Louise Engelbertsen is the agency’s new head of insights; Freya Lifely joins as director of influencer marketing; Aaron Kelly is the new senior director for video content; and business development director is Chris Breeze.
LONDON — Health tech marketing and PR agency Highland Marketing has appointed Jon Salmon as an account director to support its business expansion.
WARSAW – Grzegorz Szczepanski has been elected as vice-president of the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO). Szczepanski is currently CEO of Hill + Knowlton Strategies Poland and has held senior positions at Burson-Marsteller, Edelman, UniCredit, and Heineken. He is the founder and first President of the Polish Public Relations Consultancies Association (ZFPR), which he brought into the ICCO network in 2001. He will serve in the role for two years before becoming president in 2021. Current President Elise Mitchell will finish her tenure in October, when Nitin Mantri will move up from vice-president to president.