LONDON — Snap Inc, the parent company of the Snapchat app and Spectacles, has hired Laura Clare to lead communications for EMEA.

Clare will start as Snap’s senior director of communications for EMEA later this month, based in London. She joins from Instagram, where she oversaw EMEA communications, building an international team to deliver corporate, brand, product, and policy communications across the region.

Snap’s EMEA PR was previously handled by international director of communications Tanya Ridd, who is moving to Spotify to lead EMEA communications. Ridd had joined Snap in 2017 from Apple.

Before her six years at Instagram, Clare worked as a board director at Teneo Blue Rubicon, where she advised high profile global brands, government bodies and charities on corporate reputation and integrated marketing.

In her new capacity, she will be leading a team of six that includes communications heads in the UK, France and Dubai, and is expected to soon expand its on-the-ground communications presence in Germany and the Netherlands, growing the team to 13.

Clare will report to Snap’s chief communications officer, Julie Henderson, who said: “I’m so happy Laura is joining our growing team. I look forward to working with her and our wonderful teams across EMEA to share more broadly Snap’s product innovation and our long-held commitment to protecting the privacy, safety and wellbeing of Snapchatters. Laura is a seasoned comms executive and we’re fortunate to have her on board.”

In Q2 of 2021, Snap more than doubled its revenue year-over-year to $982 million. Snap now reaches 293 million daily active users globally – an increase of 23% year-on-year – and over 75% of 13-34 year olds in the US, UK, France, Australia and the Netherlands.

Clare, who is also on the board of trustees of OKRE, an organisation that encourages collaboration between the research, entertainment and social impact sectors, said: “I’ve always admired Snap, both for its innovation and its core values, and am thrilled to be joining the company at such an exciting time. There’s a huge opportunity for Snap in the region and I can’t wait to continue to grow the team and the business here.”