LONDON — Milk & Honey PR has named its first UK managing director, promoting Kath Myers (pictured), formerly strategy and planning partner. Myers, who has been with the agency for two years, will take over day-to-day operations in the UK from founder Kirsty Leighton, who will focus on wider group development. During her time at the agency, Myers has built out the agency’s planning and strategy capabilities, as well as expanding its consumer client portfolio. Milk & Honey has offices in London, New York, Munich and Singapore, with further expansion planned.

LONDON — The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has appointed Andraea Dawson-Shepherd as interim change director, as the organisation prepares changes to its structure, governance and management processes – recommendations from its governance review – in advance of an EGM this September. Dawson-Shepherd’s background is in change management and corporate affairs, including in senior roles at Coty, Carlsberg Group, Reckitt Benckiser and Cadbury Schweppes. She was also a board director of change management consultancy Hedron.

BRUSSELS — NATO has named head of press and media Dylan White as its new spokesperson. He succeeds Oana Lungescu, who was appointed to the role in 2010. White has been with the organisation since 2014, initially as press officer and editor. He was acting spokesperson for a period from 2016-2017.

LONDON — Pan-European agency Tyto has appointed Nick Taylor as its first managing director. Taylor joined the agency last September as senior partner and head of corporate from Ballou PR, where he was MD. He has also worked at FTI Consulting and Seven Hills. His promotion will allow CEO and founder Brendon Craigie to focus on business development, including opening in new markets; the agency recently expanded to Sweden.

LONDON — Simon John, former UK managing director and EMEA head of brand at digital communications specialist Jin, has joined digital-first marketing, advertising, and technology services company Media.Monks as head of EMEA growth. John joined Jin in 2020 from Dentsu, where he was a managing partner. Paris-headquartered Jin recently appointed Hugo Fargeas as its new London MD.

PARIS — Also at Jin, the 120-strong agency has appointed Anja Timme as vice president international as it gears up for further international expansion. Timme was previously the MD of Jin’s German operation. The agency – named as PRovoke Media’s EMEA digital agency of the year – already has offices in Paris, London, Berlin, Lyon and a satellite in New York, and works with clients including Getty Images, TikTok, Tarkett, IONITY, Five Guys, Jollibee, Great Wall Motors and Draeger.

LONDON — Health and social care specialist PLMR Healthcomms (formerly Healthcomms Consulting) has added to its pharmaceutical offering with the appointment of associate director Tom Doughty, who returns to the firm after two years at OVID Health. PLMR Healthcomms specialises in support in public affairs, strategic engagement and market access for clients including Moderna, the Association of British HealthTech Industries and Medtronic. This new hire follows Noel Gordon, former chair of NHS Digital joining the agency’s strategic council to support its digital health offer.

LONDON — FTI Consulting has appointed Sophie Mayall as a managing director in its financial services team within the strategic communications segment in London. Mayall was previously director and head of institutional asset management at financial services communications consultancy MRM. She has advised financial services firms, including pensions and institutional investment consultants, financial advisers and platform providers, on communications issues such as private equity takeovers, high-profile transactions, corporate positioning and profile raising.

DUBLIN — Also at FTI, Sarah Harte has been appointed as a managing director in the firm’s strategic communications segment, with a focus on developing integrated communications consulting services for global technology, media and telecommunications clients. Harte joins the consultancy from Twitter, where she was global policy communications lead responsible for developing global strategy, working with public policy leadership and providing counsel to senior leadership and the C-suite. She led Twitter's policy communications campaigning work on the Open Internet, developed strategies in key regulatory hubs and led the Asia-Pacific and EMEA policy communications teams in Singapore and Dublin.

LONDON — Inclusive communications specialist Folk has appointed Resham Kirpalaney as account director to support the agency’s expansion. Kirpalaney will lead on B2B accounts at Folk, with responsibility for some consumer accounts including new client Wagonex, a car subscription service. She joins from Barrett Dixon Bell, where she managed B2B accounts, and previously led the PR division at Leeds-based agency Propaganda.

LONDON — Healthcare communications agency InnerCircle, which made its first hire in June 2022 after it was founded by former Evoke Kyne director Willoughby Badger, has hired its 11th team member, appointing Becky Riffel as director. Riffel joins after four years at Hanover Communications, latterly as an associate director. She has also worked at Grayling. InnerCircle’s client roster includes global pharma companies, healthcare communications agencies and an international research group.