LONDON — Strategic communications agency WA Communications has appointed Daniel Hearne as its first director of digital.

Hearne joins WA from Brunswick Group, where he advised and developed global digital corporate and consumer campaigns for clients across the technology, financial services, professional services, retail, and energy and resources sectors.

In the newly-created role at the 60-strong agency, Hearne will lead the digital offer, working alongside the firm’s new deputy MD Laura Gabb and the creative team to embed digital and social work in client campaigns and broaden WA’s integrated capabilities.

The move is part of the agency’s plans to expand its corporate digital capabilities with a number of other hires this year. WA’s recent work includes a digital campaign for Sanofi to showcase its sustainability strategy; developing social campaigns for the Institution of Civil Engineers; and producing a creative campaign film and report for Chiltern Railway.

WA managing director Dominic Church said: “Daniel’s appointment will be invaluable to our clients and team, as we pursue our ambition of becoming the UK’s leading independent strategic communications agency. His extensive experience in navigating and using digital channels to best achieve client outcomes will be a great asset to WA’s integrated approach.”

Hearne added: “In a complex, multi-stakeholder environment, businesses need to communicate with every relevant audience and maximise the number of channels and touchpoints to achieve policy outcomes and strengthen corporate reputations. With WA’s background in delivering strategic communications campaigns, I am looking forward to working with our clients to ensure digital and social is at the heart of their campaigns.”

The appointment is the latest in a series of senior hires and appointments at WA, including strategic communications specialist Gabb; Alison Clarke as chair; former Cicero MD Tom Frackowiak, who joined to head the agency’s financial services practice; former Times transport correspondent and Pagefield partner Philip Pank; and former Whitehall permanent secretary Sir Philip Rutnam as chair of the firm’s advisory board.