NEW YORK — Marina Maher Communications has promoted chief innovation officer Rema Vasan to president, handing her responsibility for the firm's daily operations.

In the newly-created role, Vasan will oversee MMC’s healthcare, corporate and consumer practices, as well as the agency’s earned media, creative, digital innovation and business strategy & analytics teams.

Founder Marina Maher will remain CEO and will be focusing on her “passion points” including senior client counsel, business development and facilitating relationships between clients and parent company Omnicom’s range of agencies.

“It’s such a terrific opportunity for me because I get to work in the areas that I love,” Maher told PRovoke Media.

“This is the right time for a president to take over on a day-to-day basis and I can’t think of a better woman for the job,” Maher said, citing Vasan’s “entrepreneurial spirit,” digital-first mindset and work experience beyond PR agencies.

Vasan said she plans to start her next chapter with MMC focusing on three particular areas: influence, which includes expanding social content capabilities, predictive analytics and healthcare influencer work; leading with “empathy” and ensuring that DEI is embedded in the agency’s operation; and developing talent.

“My priority is to continue MMC’s mission of being a next-generation agency, and really being pioneers of this landscape that is constantly changing,” she said.

Vasan’s promotion comes nearly two years after she joined MMC as executive VP and chief innovation officer from MSL, where she led the global P&G relationship and oversaw its influencer marketing offering.

MMC has had a string of leadership changes since that time. Most recently, the firm named new creative, strategy and business leaders, filling roles vacated by departures including executive creative director Ted Sabarese and chief strategy officer Joydeep Dey.