NEW YORK — Financial comms firm Vested has hired former Hot Paper Lantern president Ted Birkhahn as a managing director.

In the newly created role, Birkhahn will oversee the development of a tech-enabled platform designed to transform client engagement and service delivery for middle-market financial services companies.

Bringing Birkhahn onboard builds on Vested’s larger effort to serve middle-market financial brands, which generally don’t have access to the same kind of comms services that larger companies do.

In early 2023, Vested launched a creative and digital platform, Finance Studio, built specifically for middle-market brands. The new middle-market offering aims to provide flexible, creative solutions that can be turned around quickly and reap results, the agency said.

“Vested’s unique value proposition has proven time and time again that financial brands of all sizes are seeking us out for our unique combination of creativity, integration and financial specialism,” said Group Vested CEO Binna Kim. “Mid-market companies — from early-stage fintechs to high-growth RIAs — need better marcomms support at levels that make sense for them. We’re meeting these firms where they are through the next stage of Vested’s middle-market offering. Ted is an industry leader, a consummate entrepreneur and now, a welcome colleague. His POV in leading this offering is invaluable.”

Birkhahn brings more than 25 years of brand communications, issues management and digital marketing experience to the role.  He joins Vested from Hot Paper Lantern, where he spent five years as the agency’s president. Before that, Birkhahn spent 20 years at Peppercomm, where he served most recently as president and partner.