LONDON — Don’t Cry Wolf has appointed former Ketchum and Metia leader Stephen Waddington to the management team as  its new non-executive director, to support the agency as it enters the next phase of growth.

Former Ketchum chief engagement officer Waddington left his role as MD of digital marketing agency Metia in June this year to set up his own consultancy, Wadds Inc, advising PR agencies and other firms on sustainable and ethical growth.

In this new NED post he will provide guidance to the senior leadership team and work on new projects to help Don’t Cry Wolf – one of the first PR firms to become a B-Corp – expand into new disciplines and develop new approaches to branding and marketing.

Waddington said: “I am buzzing about working with one of the few organisations that isn’t afraid to stand for something, say it how it is and confidently disrupt an industry. What’s been utterly refreshing for me is that Don’t Cry Wolf is not looking to build just another PR agency. It’s looking to reimagine the role of a modern business in today’s society. It just so happens to do PR and branding. For now.”

Don’t Cry Wolf’s managing director Sara Collinge and CEO John Brown both worked with Waddington at Speed Communications, one of the agencies he founded alongside former APCO London MD Steve Earl.

Brown said: “I’ve learnt an awful lot from Wadds over the years so it was a no brainer to bring him on board the moment he set up Wadds Inc. He shares the same principles as well as the ambition to do so much more than just grow another agency and flog it. I can’t wait to bring to market the projects we’re working on together. They will delight and irritate the industry in equal measure.”

The previous non-executive director was Shine founder Rachel Bell, who supported the team through its launch phase in 2018-2019. The agency is about to take on its 13th employee, having hired three more people in lockdown, including new creative and strategy director Tom Rouse.

Don’t Cry Wolf is currently working with clients including nut butter producer Meridian Foods, Virgin’s water filter brand Virgin Pure, femtech firm Elvie, gaming company Lockwood Publishing and analytics platform Orgvue.