LONDON — Ketchum has created a new chief strategy and innovation officer role, with deputy UK CEO Sera Holland being promoted to oversee global markets.

Holland, who joined Ketchum in 2021 from The Fawnbrake Collective, will become a member of the global markets leadership team, and will be responsible for global strategic priorities and consistency of approach across healthcare, reputation, creative and influencer marketing in all markets outside the US, as well as working with individual country market on scaling innovations across the network.

Ketchum’s UK and global markets CEO Jo-ann Robertson, who took on the global role last May, told PRovoke Media: “Since Jim Joseph joined [as global chief marketing and innovation officer] last year, he and I have forged a brilliant partnership, and we’re really excited about integration, collaboration and consistency, and maximising the power of the two regions. We’ve been working together on what leadership across our markets looks like, and how to make sure we have real strength in our parallel universes."

Robertson added: “Sera is incredible at putting together strategy frameworks at scale. Jim will be announcing his US equivalent soon – we’re really focused on the strategy and innovation piece. People come up with great ideas every day and most sit in single market or with one clients – Sera is incredible at coming up with ideas herself but this will be about identifying pockets of innovation and see if they will catch fire and be successful elsewhere.”

Of her new role, Holland (pictured, left) said: “The opportunity for me in this new role will be to connect expertise and innovation across our global markets to drive growth through connection as well as integration. Coming off such a strong year in 2022, we know we have an opportunity to deepen our capabilities and scale solutions for clients that meet them where they are, and help them get to where they want to be. Working with the wider global markets leadership team to enable and support our market leaders is going to super charge our success and push us forward collectively and individually, and I can’t wait to get started.”

At the same time, Heather Blundell, who joined Ketchum as chief growth officer for Europe from Weber Shandwick last spring, has been promoted to deputy UK CEO and will take on day-today operational leadership of the UK market supported by the senior leadership team. She will continue to report to Robertson, who said: “Heather has made such a hugely positive impact on the talent that is joining us and this is an opportunity to grow and run the business, and elevate the UK market. It’s the start of a new era for Ketchum UK.”

Blundell (pictured, right) added: “I am incredibly excited about partnering with Jo-ann and the rest of Ketchum UK to take the agency into its next chapter. My focus will be supporting our incredible talent, while continuing to foster that progressive entrepreneurial spirit combined with our uncompromising focus on delivering work that matters, which drives results for our clients and growth for our agency.”

There are no changes to Robertson’s role as part of the restructure; she told PRovoke Media: “Everything is working well and when the time is right I will definitely appoint a new UK CEO.”