LONDON — Ketchum UK has strengthened its health leadership team with the appointment of former GSK global head of communications Camilla Dormer to the newly-created role of deputy managing director of health.

Dormer joins after two years at vaping start-up Juul, where she was international head of communications. She was previously at GSK for five years, as director of global communications for pharma and then consumer.

In her new role, Dormer will lead the 28-strong health team at Ketchum – whose clients include Allergan (recently acquired by AbbVie), Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb and Sanofi – alongside managing director of health Con Franklin.

Franklin told PRovoke Media: “All our clients are asking for really senior counsel and with our investment in Camilla I now have my very own partner in crime to help us up our game and bring new ways of working to the table. She occupies that sweet spot between thinking strategically and really driving things forward."

He added that the appointment would enable the division to continue to grow and increase its focus on data: “Healthcare has been one of the most stable areas in the pandemic but we’re ambitious to work out what a post-pandemic world means for our clients. This year I want to focus on evidence-based communications and applying research, data and analytics to every client brief. Having Cam as an ally and partner, and taking over some operational leadership, is important in us delivering that.”

Dormer is the second senior hire to join Ketchum UK this month, after Indy Selvarajah joined from Edelman Deportivo as executive creative director. Agency boss Jo-ann Robertson was elevated to a global client solutions role in addition to being UK CEO in January.

The move is Dormer’s second stint at Ketchum: she started her career at the agency before moving onto roles including running the press office and PR for the European Society of Cardiology, and being a director at Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe.

She told PRovoke Media: “I’ve always felt close to Ketchum and employed the agency as a client over the years – it’s like coming home. I’ve spent the past eight years client-side and I’m bringing that umbrella view back to my roots in agency healthcare. And I’ve been really blown away by the energy, drive, passion and enthusiasm here – Con and Jo-ann are incredibly refreshing and inspirational leaders.”