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| Katelyn Holbrook |
Version 2.0 Communications, which is rebranding to V2 Communications, has promoted Katelyn Holbrook to senior vice president, managing director. Holbrook, who founded and heads up the agency’s content practice, has been with the agency since 2008. In her new position, she will also work with V2 cofounders Maura FitzGerald and Jean Serra, to manage the agency’s overall health. V2’s rebrand follows the launching of its crisis communications practice, the expansion of its content and social media practices, and new partnerships with four agencies in Asia—Communications+ PR and SPRG Beijing Strategic Communications Consultants Limited in China, and J-Spin Public Relations and Arex Corporation in Japan.
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| Tim Gerdes |
R&J Strategic Communications has named Tim Gerdes vice president of creative & digital services. Gerdes has been with R&J since 2015, most recently serving as director of digital services. In his new position, he will lead R&J’s digital and creative practice areas, working to further integrate the agency and its marketing services. “Tim’s leadership of R&J’s digital and creative teams will further enhance our ability to create and execute fully-integrated, cross-discipline strategies for clients,” said R&J president Scott Marioni. R&J has also promoted Dexter Cheng to creative & digital coordinator.
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Mercury has promoted Dan Bank, Ben Feller and Jan Feuerstadt to its senior leadership team in New York, with Nicole Flotteron and Bryan Lanza in Washington, and Jennifer Wlach in San Francisco also taking on senior leadership positions. Bank, who joined the firm from Fox News Channel in 2013, serves as an advisor to Fortune 50 chief executives, advocacy leaders and entrepreneurs. Feller, who offers strategic counsel on communications, joined Mercury after serving as chief White House correspondent for the Associated Press. Feuerstadt held positions in the Clinton and Bush administrations before coming to the agency in 2015. Flotterman, who leads Mercury’s global digital practice, advises and executes integrated campaigns for Fortune 500 companies, executives, and international advocacy organizations. A member of president Trump’s transition team, Lanza serves Mercury’s clients as a Republican strategist. Wlach leads Mercury’s San Francisco office, specializing in media strategy, thought leadership, executive consulting and public affairs campaign management.
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M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment has hired Kate Farinella and Payton Wang as vice presidents. Farinella, who was previously a director at PMK-BNC, will lead across the agency’s beverage business, as well as working with key global lifestyle clients. Wang, who was senior lifestyle director at London-based Purple and brand communications director at Nylon magazine, will be overseeing the agency’s growing fashion and entertainment practices, with responsibility for all fashion and runway collaborations for long-standing client Reebok, as well as other lifestyle and entertainment clients.
HUNTER promotes Gigi García Russo to president and Michael Lamp to chief digital & transformation officer.... Cars.com Inc. a car-shopping marketplace, names Sarah Kettler CMO, effective June 15...The Trade Desk, an advertising tech company, appoints Sarah Gavin as CMO and EVP.
Brittany Sullivan, who held the senior VP-executive director of marketing post at Golin, has moved to Burson.
Codeword brings on Melody Brue and Jess Graham as part of a push to bolster its capabilities in market intelligence and commercial strategy... Havas Edge, which specializes in data-driven media, creative and customer acquisition strategies, for health, tech, consumer, retail and financial brands, promotes Pam Caputo to EVP, health media... Rezolve Ai, the London-based developer of Brain Suite, an enterprise AI platform purpose-built for agentic commerce, appoints Michele Fisher as CMO.
Jamie Dowd, who was most recently president of the health practice in the Americas at Weber Shandwick, comes on board at Allison Worldwide as global president, health + wellness, effective June 22.
Burson is bringing on Hanover managing director, Middle East Jonty Summers as head of corporate affairs in Dubai at the end of June... Ridgepost Capital, which had over $45 billion in assets under management as of March 31, names Brian McKenna VP, investor relations, effective June 15... The Center for AI Safety appoints Rochelle Nadhiri as head of public engagement. 
