NEW YORK — Golin global healthcare lead Neera Chaudhary is joining Ketchum as president of North America, stepping into the role vacated by Mike Doyle when he was named the firm’s global CEO last summer.

As head of Ketchum’s largest region,  Chaudhary will oversee the full range of the Omnicom agency’s North American operations including talent development, client relationships, business growth and operations. Starting February 1, Chaudhary will report to Doyle and serve on Ketchum’s executive team.

“Neera’s distinctive combination of creative brainpower and strategic acumen has skyrocketed her to success throughout her career and made a lasting impact on the colleagues, organizations and clients with whom she’s partnered along the way,” said Doyle. “From our first conversation, we loved her intuitive and natural blend of empathy and intelligence, and I know she’ll be a brilliant addition to our growing Ketchum community.”

Chaudhary has spent nearly four years as Golin’s global president of healthcare, as which she oversaw the firm’s two healthcare communications brands — Golin Healthcare and Virgo Health. In that role, she drove the brands’ growth through a strategy consultancy model, talent development and creation of a separate healthcare P&L in the US.

Previously, Chaudhary served as executive creative strategist for Cohn & Wolfe’s healthcare practice, leading strategy and creative for clients across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, health technology and consumer health. She’s also held communications, media and consulting roles at Porter Novelli, Nutrition Action Healthletter and ANOKHI Magazine.

Chaudhary is filling a position that’s been vacant since June, when Doyle replaced Barri Rafferty as Ketchum’s global leader. Rafferty, named as one of the first women to lead a global PR firm in 2017, left Ketchum to join Wells Fargo as head of corporate communications.