Former Burson-Marsteller public affairs MD joins APCO

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Jim Moorhead, the former managing director of Burson-Marsteller’s US public affairs and crisis practice, joins the International Advisory Council (IAC) at international comms firm APCO Worldwide.

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Jim Moorhead

Margery Kraus, founder and executive chairman at APCO Worldwide, said: “Jim has a proven track record of developing effective litigation and crisis communication strategies across a variety of sectors.”

She added: “His experience managing complex situations will be a tremendous resource to our clients, and adds to our firm’s global expertise. We’re delighted to welcome Jim to our IAC.”

Moorhead served as a partner at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where he co-chaired the firm’s crisis-management team. In both roles, Moorhead developed litigation and communications strategies for Fortune 500 companies, and other major clients facing congressional, regulatory and criminal investigations, class action lawsuits and public issues.

He has also served as vice president and chief financial officer at Covega Corporation, has worked in the investment banking division at Goldman Sachs and was an assistant US attorney for the attorney’s office in Maryland.

Moorhead said: “I’m very excited to join APCO’s International Advisory Council. The firm’s commitment to providing clients with meaningful and strategic crisis counsel helps differentiate APCO in the marketplace. I look forward to adding to the firm’s global expertise and helping clients.”

CNC hires consultant Katherine Fennell

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Communications and Network Consulting (CNC) hires Katherine Fennell as a consultant.

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Katherine Fennell

Fennell, who will report to managing partner Tom Buchanan, arrives at CNC from Edison, where she supported globally-listed mid to small cap companies seeking to raise their capital market profile.

Prior to that, Fennell worked for Makinson Cowell, where she acted as an investor relations and capital markets adviser to a portfolio of FTSE100 and FTSE250 clients. Following Makinson Cowell’s acquisition by KPMG, she was seconded to KPMG’s Global Strategy team, supporting the global chairman’s office.

Buchanan said: “2016 has been an exceptionally strong year for CNC, seeing significant growth across the firm in corporate, digital and financial communications. Katherine’s investor relations and capital markets’ expertise will further bolster the team’s capabilities, and we’re very happy to have her on board.”

 

Dexcom chooses LEWIS

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Dan Masser 1

Dan Masser

LEWIS adds to its healthcare client roster as it is appointed by Dexcom, a provider of diabetes management systems.

Dexcom’s technology monitors glucose levels in diabetes sufferers. A sensor sits just below the skin’s surface, and, every five minutes, it transmits information on glucose levels to mobile applications via Bluetooth.

LEWIS will support Dexcom looks to expand into Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The UK team will work with offices in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands to grow brand awareness in Europe.

Dan Masser, head of corporate, said: “Dexcom’s technological advances are truly enhancing the lives of people living with diabetes, and it’s an exciting time for the company having just opened an EMEA HQ. As such, LEWIS is delighted to have been chosen to help Dexcom tell its story in key markets around Europe.”

John Bernard, marketing director, EMEA, added: “LEWIS’ experience in medtech, regional spread and healthcare insight were all factors that impressed during the pitch process. We welcome them into the rapidly growing Dexcom international team, helping to transform diabetes care and management through CGM [continuous glucose monitoring] technology.”

Yakult briefs Launch PR

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Yakult has appointed Launch PR to amplify its support of double Olympic medallist and British swimming champion Jazz Carlin.

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Jazz Carlin

Launch PR has also been briefed to promote Yakult’s long-standing commitment to swimming during the New Year in 2017.

The campaign marks the second consecutive year that Launch has worked with the brand on a landmark project.

Niki Wheeler, director at Launch PR, will lead the account.

Amardeep Chahil, senior PR executive at Yakult, said: “Launch presented us with a creative platform which enables Yakult to stay true to its corporate philosophy  to promote a healthy society  and Yakult’s support of swimming and Jazz Carlin, following her amazing performance at Rio this year.

“Launch’s track record of delivering authentic ideas and impressive results for Yakult made this collaboration a logical decision for us during the important New Year period.”

Johnny Pitt, Launch PR founder and creative lead,  added: “We’re fans of Yakult at Launch and the PR campaign reflects our expertise in working with successful brands and sportspeople alike.”

David Buik to host PRCA City and Financial Awards

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David Buik

The PRCA (Public Relations and Communications Association) has announced that David Buik, a business and financial correspondent for the BBC and other international TV channels, will host next year’s City and Financial Awards.

The awards recognise financial communications and communicators, and support membership organisation for the City, The Company of Public Relations Practitioners.

Buik’s career has encompassed merchant banking and money broking. He has spent the last 16 years as a market commentator at Cantor Index, BGC Partners and, most recently, at stockbroker Panmure Gordon & Co.

Buik said: “It is a pleasure to once again be compere of the PRCA’s City and Financial Awards. I look forward to meeting all of the finalists and celebrating another great year in financial and corporate communications.”

The City and Financial Awards will take place on Wednesday 22 February 2017 at Merchant Taylors Hall in the City of London. For information around categories, judges, or to enter, visit the website here. The early-bird deadline for entries is 22 December 2016.

Most read people news on Gorkana News

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Your bitesize update on the latest People News and Moves featured on Gorkana News:

Stim SIngleton 2enior ITN broadcast journalist Tim Singleton has been appointed director of comms for the Department for International Development (DfID).

He is currently deputy editor and director of newsgathering for ITV News and recently announced his departure from ITN after 24 years.

Portland has hired former Foreign Office emploVictoria Dean 2yee Victoria Dean to head up its Brexit unit.

Dean joined Portland as a partner last week after almost 20 years in the diplomatic service. Her most recent posting was as British high commissioner to the Eastern Caribbean.

Matthew Foster 2Porter Novelli London has appointed former AbbVie senior comms manager Matthew Foster (pictured) as director of its health and wellness practice.

Abigail Last, from Red Door, also joins Porter Novelli’s health and wellness team as an associate director, and George Hickling, Charlie Price, Jessica Greenman and Alexander Emich all join as senior account executives.

Tahmina Mannan 2Comms consultancy to the investment industry, JPES Partners, has hired Tahmina Mannan (pictured) and Roya Abbasi to join its team as senior client manager and senior client executive, respectively.

Mannan joins from fund ratings and research firm FE Trustnet, where she headed up the PR team, and Abbasi joins from London PR agency Four Broadgate, where she worked as an account executive.

itsu [grocery] hires John Doe

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John Doe has been handed a consumer PR brief by Asian food brand itsu [grocery] to support a selection of its key retail products during the winter months.

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itsu [grocery]

itsu [grocery] and John Doe will work on the consumer PR brief with immediate effect and into the new year.

Natalie Sugarman, head of marketing at itsu [grocery], said: “On meeting the John Doe team, we were impressed by their offering, their enthusiasm for the brand matched our own and we’re looking forward to seeing the creative work we can produce together.”

Rosie Holden, MD of John Doe, added: “It’s a huge pleasure to be working with the itsu [grocery] team. itsu is a dream client and an exciting brand, so the chance to promote its supermarket product range is something we’re thrilled to be developing.”

OneFifty adds social influencer to its team

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Social and digital engagement consultancy OneFifty has brought in UK lifestyle, travel and fitness blogger Natalie Glaze as a relationship manager.

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Natalie Glaze

Glaze, who was nominated for Best Healthy & Wellbeing Influencer at the Cosmopolitan Influencer Awards 2016 this month, will be responsible for developing OneFifty’s model and products for improving the way brands and social creators work together.

Alex Pearmain, co-founder of OneFifty, said: “We believe in using data and models of behaviour to engage the people who matter. The current way brands and social creators interact is fundamentally not fit for purpose.

“Natalie is an important part of our plans to fix that – for the benefit of creators and brands alike. Her perspective as both a creator, and a brand consultant is powerful.”

Glaze added: “I see firsthand the pressures brands and social creators face daily in finding mutually beneficial ways of working. I’m excited to be part of improving that, and creating what comes next.”

OneFifty was launched in early 2016 by Alex Pearmain and Katie Buckett, with clients including O2 and Virgin Active. The team has since grown to eight, with brands such as Union coffee and Mercure hotels joining the consultancy’s roster.

Dentons launches public affairs network

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Law firm Dentons will launch a free network for public affairs firms in early 2017.

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Joe Andrew

The worldwide network will be called Nextlaw Global Public Affairs Network and Dentons has begun inviting firms to join.

Membership will be extended to companies and organisations who shape government policy or opinion through lobbying, PR, advertising, or other means.

Joe (Joseph) Andrew, global chairman of Dentons, said: “Dentons serves our clients in the court of public opinion as well as the court of law. In today’s mediacentric, cable and digital world, this can often mean integrating cross-functional services such as legal representation and public affairs capabilities. By building a public affairs network we expand our already strong public affairs offering to serve our clients in a one-stop-shop way across the globe.”

Dentons’ Nextlaw Global Referral Network is a legal referral network, which launched on October 5, and now has more than 300 members.

Andrew added: “No matter how large a law firm or a public affairs firm is, no single firm can provide the best expertise everywhere in the world. For us to serve our clients, we need knowledgeable professionals who understand the regulatory, business and economic cultures of their respective regions. This is why we have created both Nextlaw Global Referral Network and, now, Nextlaw Global Public Affairs Network. Our goal is to connect clients to the highest quality lawyers and public affairs talent around the world.”

Members will be evaluated according to a number of criteria including: client feedback, third-party quality rankings, awards and accolades, recommendations by other members and unique practice or sector expertise.

Victoria Dean to lead Portland’s Brexit unit

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Portland has hired former Foreign Office employee Victoria Dean to head up its Brexit unit. Dean joined Portland as a partner this week after almost 20 years in the diplomatic service.

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Victoria Dean

Dean will report to Portland’s managing partner Steve Morris. Her most recent posting was as British high commissioner to the Eastern Carribean.

She previously served at embassies in Paris, Brussels and Washington. Much of her career was dedicated to EU issues, including three years as spokesperson for the UK’s permanent representation to the EU in Brussels (UKRep).

Most recently, she played an important role in the newly-created Department for Exiting the European Union.

Portland’s Brexit unit was launched in July 2016 to advise clients navigating post-Brexit Britain. In addition to Dean, the team includes Sir Stephen Wall, Radek Sikorski, Steve Morris, James Starkie, Amy Richards and Matt Pollard.

Steve Morris, Portland’s managing partner, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Victoria to Portland. She brings a keen understanding of the issues, processes and personalities involved in Brexit. Our Brexit team is now unrivalled in the expertise we can offer clients as they navigate the risks and opportunities of Brexit.”