LONDON — Ogilvy PR has elevated UK head of PR Matt Buchanan to a new global role, as global head of consumer PR.

Buchanan has run Ogilvy’s PR business in the UK since early 2019. Before joining Ogilvy, Buchanan was the managing director of Havas agency One Green Bean, launching the agency into the London market in 2015 after running the Australian operation for four years. He has worked with brands including Walgreens Boots Alliance, HSBC, Bacardi, Unilever and Coca-Cola.

The move follows the appointment of Julianna Richter as Ogilvy PR global CEO in December last year to reclaim the Ogilvy PR agency brand, which was replaced by a PR & Influence division as part of the agency’s transformation in 2017.

As well as the global head of consumer PR role, Richter is in the process of recruiting a global head of corporate PR.

Speaking to PRovoke Media, Buchanan said: ““It really does feel like PR is back and there’s some real momentum. Julianna’s a fantastic leader and has brought a fresh approach, passion and direction for the PR business, which is super-exciting. We have some fantastic consumer operators around the world and my job will be to lead them as we redefine Ogilvy PR’s vision and work out our go-to-market strategy.”

He said the role also includes working with other business to look at innovation in social, data and content to make Ogilvy’s consumer PR offer stronger, as well as growth opportunities with existing clients across multiple markets – including Bacardi and Google – and new global assignments. Recent wins include becoming Zippo's global social, communications and creative agency. 

Buchanan added: “I’m also super-passionate about talent. What I’ve loved doing in London is building a fantastic team culture and I want to create more of a community and culture for our consumer specialists around the world, and bringing our learnings from transforming the PR business in the UK to a global stage.

“It’s a big job – I’ve loved running the UK I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into a new challenge.”

Buchanan will report to Richter, who said: “Consumer PR has been core to Ogilvy’s success, and it’s key to our future as brands seek to engage consumers through more innovative and creative solutions that are earned, social and data-driven.

“Having successfully grown Ogilvy’s PR business in the UK by developing sophisticated, integrated communications programs, Matt is a natural choice to help us evolve our consumer brand offer globally. Matt is a modern, visionary global leader, a growth driver, and a talent magnet who will innovate and elevate the work we do for our clients.”

In addition to his global role, which takes effect from July 1 and is based in the UK, Buchanan will move into an executive director role within the Ogilvy PR business in the UK, where he will continue to counsel clients and ensure a smooth transition to a new leader, who will be announced in the next couple of months.

Last month, it was announced that Ogilvy’s UK CEO, Michael Frohlich, was joining Weber Shandwick as its new EMEA chief executive.