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| Gabrielle Zucker |
KWT Global names agency president and co-founder Gabrielle Zucker CEO. Current CEO and co-founder Aaron Kwittken will transition to agency chairman effective Jan. 1. Prior to KWT Global, Zucker was VP of the corporate & financial practice at Havas PR (formerly Euro RSCG). “Gabrielle is an agency unicorn,” Kwitten said. “She’s a whip-smart, resilient, unbreakable, hard-working, kind and compassionate human being.” As chairman, Kwittken will continue to work with certain clients, host the Brand on Purpose podcast and participate in select business development and agency marketing initiatives. The rest of his time will be devoted towards scaling PRophet, the AI-driven software venture he launched earlier this year with MDC Ventures.
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| Ryan Birchmeier |
Thunder11 has named Ryan Birchmeier senior vice president of client relations. As part of the promotion, Birchmeier has been made an equity partner. He previously served as vice president of media relations at the agency. Before coming to Thunder11, he was assistant vice president for public affairs at the New York City Economic Development Corporation. In his new role, Birchmeier will help manage and expand the day-to-day service offerings of the firm’s client base in health care, tech, and public affairs. He is also a host (along with his sister, Katie Fendler, a Philadelphia-based nurse practitioner) of the agency’s “Public Health” podcast, which shares the experiences of the people who make health systems run.
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| Adrienne Appell |
The Toy Association, a not-for-profit trade group, has promoted Adrienne Appell to senior vice president of marketing communications, effective Jan. 1. Appell most recently served as the organization’s senior director of strategic communications. Before joining The Toy Association, she worked in the corporate communications division of Scholastic, and was an account executive at Weber Shandwick. In her new post, she will be responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of the organization’s communications strategies, active digital footprint, key messaging, and value of play and brand integrity programs. “Adrienne’s depth of experience and broad knowledge across the toy and play community will prove invaluable as The Toy Association responds to member needs and continues to demonstrate leadership in a dramatically shifting consumer and retail environment,” said The Toy Association president and CEO Steve Pasierb.
The Next Solutions Group names Michelle Agnew as VP, reputation and issues management. Agnew joins NSG from The Coca-Cola Company, where she was director of strategic communications... Nebius, which works with startups and enterprises building AI products, agents and services, appoints Lindsey Irvine as CMO... Zeta Global, an intelligent AI infrastructure company, names Leah Pope CMO and Candace Dean chief communications officer.
SiriusXM recruits Paramount Pictures EVP, global communications Jenny Tartikoff to serve as SVP and head of communications, effective August 10.
West of Fairfax, which is in Los Angeles, appoints Scott Mallone as president. Mallone joins the agency from SHFT Labs... Codeword ups Brandon Carter to SVP, head of strategy... JOTO PR Disruptors names Nick Westcott head of establishment, working to improve coordination across departments, and helping each part of the agency operate with greater clarity, consistency and readiness for scale. 
Sotheby’s brings on Christie’s global head of communications Natasha Le Bel to serve as chief communications officer.
The U.S. Green Building Council, developer of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system, names David Purcell CMO, leading the organization’s marketing and communications... Capital V Strategies, a strategic communications and advisory firm, names Andy Dueñas to lead its newly launched Transactions & IPO Communications division... Haven Tower Group, which works with clients in the wealth management space, appoints Stephen Langlois to its board of advisors. Langlois is currently managing principal of Seaport Consulting Partners. 
