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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.
Seven Letter hires Allie Raffa, who was most recently White House correspondent for NBC News, as a senior director... Points of Light, an organization founded by President George H.W. Bush that is dedicated to volunteer service, names Jeff Zanelli as CMO... Frontieras North America, an energy and environmental technology company, appoints Nora Shepard as VP of communications.
Alcoa has named Emily Olson, who has more than 20 years of experience working in capital-intensive industries in the Americas, Europe and Asia, EVP & chief external affairs officer, effective April 6.
Longacre Square Partners has named Humza Vanderman partner and head of its London outpost as the financial communications firm expands into Europe.
FGS Global adds former Pfizer EVP and chief corporate affairs officer Sally Susman to its global executive board as an independent member, effective April 1... Codeword brings on Kim Baffi, who was previously Salesforce VP and creative director, as executive creative director... Amperity, an AI-powered customer data cloud, appoints Bridget Perry as CMO.
MOIA America, a Volkswagen Group of America subsidiary that develops and tests autonomous, all-electric ride-pooling vehicles, names Marcus Gamo head of U.S. communications... Continental Strategy brings on Francisco Petrirena as VP in its Miami office. Petrirena was previously chief of staff to former Miami city manager Art Noriega... MSQ Sport + Entertainment brings on Lauren Weil as EVP, Max Hirsch as VP of sponsorship, and Brooke Losee as VP.
