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| John Quick |
Hill+Knowlton Strategies has appointed John Quick senior vice president, healthcare in the US. Quick previously worked at H+K from 2003-2005, when he was group director of the New York Healthcare team. He rejoins H+K from Edelman, where he was an executive vice president, leading the Janssen Oncology team and serving on Edelman’s Johnson & Johnson global client leadership team. Quick has also worked as a consultant to such firms as Weber Shandwick, Golin Harris, Porter Novelli and DNA Communications. Based in H+K’s New York office, Quick will help drive strategy and innovation across H+K’s US health and pharmaceutical clients, with particular focus on product communications throughout the lifecycle. “John will be a tremendous asset to our US team and I look forward to bringing his thinking to our clients as we expand the breadth and depth of our healthcare business,” said H+K global president and CEO of the Americas Richard Millar.
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| Tara Smith |
Intel Corporation has promoted Tara Smith to chief communications officer. Smith was previously vice president of technology communications at the company. Before joining Intel in 2016, she was a senior vice president at WE Communications, where she served as an executive lead on the agency’s Microsoft business, heading up the Windows and OEM teams. Smith has also held senior-level communications roles at software startup Marqui and Silicon Valley-based Sterling Communications. In her new role, she will oversee Intel’s global communications organization, promoting the company’s brand through strategic corporate, technology and employee communications. “Tara demonstrates a strong understanding of our people, and her purpose-driven leadership distinguishes her within Intel and in the industry,” said Michelle Johnston Holthaus, Intel executive vice president and general manager of its sales, marketing and communications group.
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| Barry Wygel |
Baker Public Relations has promoted Barry Wygel to manager, creative services. Wygel has been with Baker since October 2018, most recently serving as a senior account executive. He was previously a videojournalist at Spectrum News in Albany, NY. Wygel will lead the agency’s creative services team (marketing, editorial, graphic design and video) and oversee a new 1,000-square-foot video and podcast production studio, creating earned, owned and social concepts and ideas, and providing quality control on all agency-wide initiatives. “By expanding our in-house creative capabilities, we’re filling a need for our clients to add value to key audiences through content that reflects their personality and builds trust,” said agency founder, president and CEO Megan Baker.




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