NEW YORK — Weber Shandwick has hired Ridhi Malhotra as global head of analytics + intelligence.

In her new role, Malhotra is charged with leading Weber Shandwick’s global analytics + intelligence unit, with a remit to further imbed analytics into the firm’s integrated client solutions.

Malhotra joins Weber Shandwick from Publicis Media’s Zenith, where she oversaw the media agency’s analytics practice as an executive VP.  She replaces Brian Buchwald, who is now with consumer intelligence company Talkwalker.

Malhotra beings more than 15 years of experience the agency. In her most recent role at Zenith, she led the data science, analytics, engineering and data governance practice for the agency, working across categories including retail, direct response, CPG, entertainment, pharma and social networking platforms. Prior to that, Malhotra was part of the analytics teams at WPP consultancy Gain Theory and before that, GroupM.