Richard KeilRichard Keil, a veteran Washington journalist who moved into PR in 2007 with Public Strategies, is moving to ExxonMobil next month in a senior public affairs role.

Keil exits Washington-based Purple Strategies, where he handled crisis and other PR assignments for the past two years. BP was among Purple's high-profile clients.

A seasoned political reporter for Bloomberg dubbed "Stretch" by President George W. Bush, Keil also spent 10 years as a reporter for the Associated Press in Washington.

He moved to the PR side with Public Strategies, now Hill+Knowlton Strategies, in 2007.

ExxonMobil confirmed the move to O'Dwyer's, noting Keil will be based at its Irving, Tex., headquarters. He starts Aug. 1.