Alibaba, the Chinese online retail giant slated for a massive initial public offering, has brought in veteran corporate and government communicator Jim Wilkinson as head of international corporate communications.
Wilkinson departs PepsiCo, which he joined in 2012 from an international managing partner slot at Brunswick Group.
Brunswick Group is one of three firms working with Alibaba on the PR front amid its May 6 IPO filing.
Wilkinson will be based in San Francisco for the Hangzhou, China-based company with the title of SVP, head of international corporate affairs.
He was a key aide in the George W. Bush administration, serving as top advisor to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and deputy assistant to President Bush for strategic communications. He also worked the PR front for Gen. Tommy Franks during the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Business leaders will face challenges in the upcoming year, some of which will come as a complete surprise, or beyond anyone's imagination.
Teneo has hired Philipp Grontzki, who is a 20-year veteran of corporate communications and financial journalism, as a managing director in its strategy and communications group.
Rowan Benecke, who co-founded Zeno Group and helmed Burson-Marsteller's tech practice, has joined McKinsey & Co as director of communications for North America.
BCW has named Golin's Matt Coldagelli EVP and leader of its corporate affairs practice in Chicago.
Abby Bailey, who headed corporate communications for Fedex in its Middle East, India and Africa region, has joined Teneo as managing director in Dubai.
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