CHICAGO — Weber Shandwick has promoted Sarah Yaffe to North America chief growth officer, the latest step in the agency’s buildout of its regional team.

In the newly created role, Yaffe will oversee a new growth team that will manage Weber Shandwick’s prospecting engine, sector-based pursuits and business development.

Yaffe is a 13-year Weber Shandwick vet who most recently served as executive VP, business development for North America.

That role now goes to Kelly Sauter, who joins Weber after two decades at Ketchum where she most recently served as global head of growth.

Sauter will manage the firm’s business development team, which includes business development leaders for health, corporate & public affairs, technology, brand and Weber Shandwick Collective agencies Current Group and Resolute Digital.

“We’ve been laser focused on our ambition to move growth to the center of the organization and the top of everyone’s agenda, and Sarah has been instrumental in driving that agenda, helping us to ignite an impressive string of significant new client wins over the past 18 months,” said  global chief growth officer Karen Pugliese.  “With Sarah’s leadership and Kelly’s impressive track record of new wins and growth, I’m excited to continue that momentum.”