DUSSELDORF — H+K Strategies has named new leadership in Germany, with Rüdiger Maessen arriving from Ketchum Pleon to become CEO.

Maeseen, who spent the past decade building Ketchum Pleon's digital business, was most recently global and managing partner with responsibility for the agency's Düsseldorf HQ operations. He joins the WPP firm after it grew by 20% for its most recent fiscal year in Germany.

His arrival means that current CEO Ernst Primosch is elevated to the newly-created role of executive chairman on the firm's board of directors alongside EMEA president Lars Erik Gronntun and EMEA CFO Rune Wilhelmsen.

Primosch, who spent the past seven years in charge of H+K Strategies Germany, will retain his senior consultant role for major clients and is to continue as authorised representative of the company.

"H+K is one of the biggest brands in the consultancy sector and enjoys an excellent position in the German market. I am very much looking forward to driving forward expansion of the agency across all communication disciplines together with Ernst Primosch and the entire team," said Maessen.

Also appointed to the management board of Hill+Knowlton Strategies Germany will be Catherine Dächert-Tessier in the role of CFO. She joined the company three years ago from Cohn & Wolfe and is assigned responsibility for both finance and human resources.