MILAN — Strategic communications firm SEC Newgate has appointed Cara Rich as its first global and Americas chief growth officer.

Rich joins from BCW, where she had been chief growth officer for North America for the past five years. She previously spent more than 13 years in business development roles at Ketchum. In her newly-created role at SEC Newgate, she will oversee all commercial and development activities at a global level and for the Americas from her Washington, DC base.

The new function will be completed by additional chief growth officer positions in EMEA this year and Asia-Pacific in 2025, both of whom will report to Rich, who herself reports to SEC Newgate CEO Fiorenzo Tagliabue.
 
Rich’s team – with a brief to grow SEC Newgate’s capacity to pitch global prospects – also includes SEC Newgate senior group marketing manager Irene Ferrario, who has been promoted to VP marketing and partnerships.

Tagliabue said: “I wish the new team good luck and a successful work in this newly created function, as we are at the right moment to seize global opportunities as we have the size, the know-how and the positioning to tackle this crucial challenge. Cara and the whole growth team bring the sensitivity and experience we required to complete the last part of our journey to boost organic growth locally, regionally and internationally.”

Rich added: “SEC Newgate is establishing a new holding company model with a unique value proposition for global companies and leading organizations that require not only a global footprint, but a globally connected network of agencies. I’m excited to be part of this next chapter.”

The new chief growth officer function follows SEC Newgate’s introduction of a new business and leadership structure at the end of last year.