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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.
Franz Paasche, who was most recently EVP for public affairs and communications at Columbia University, will join Verizon as EVP, corporate affairs, effective Nov. 10.
Actum has hired Cecelia Prewett, who was president of DC Public Affairs at SKDK during a nearly 13-year run, as senior managing director in its Washington office.
Hotwire Global appoints Burson global chief digital & intelligence officer Grant Toups as global CEO, effective in January.
Bader Rutter, which works with clients in the agriculture, food, beverage and pet care sectors, appoints Demar Anderson as CMO... Acceleration Community of Companies appoints Michael Moschella to lead its new insights division, ACC Intelligence... Luminate, a London-based shop focused on infrastructure and energy sectors, hires Osman Dervish as director—head of development... The Alpine Group promotes Alison Graab to principal from SVP.
Ballard Partners has hired Bernice Glenn Kissinger, who has focused on military and national security issues across the Indo-Pacific region, as partner and head of its new Honolulu office.
