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The Motion Picture Association has named Jonathan Powell senior VP for strategic communications, a newly created post.
Powell joins the MPA from the State Dept., where he handled speechwriting duties and advised on press engagement, social media and public diplomacy matters. Earlier he did speechwriting stints at the Commerce Dept. and Dept. of Homeland Security.
Powell also served as advisor to Los Angeles mayors Eric Garcetti and Antonio Villaraigosa.
At MPA, he reports to Charles Rivkin, CEO, and Emily Lenzner, executive vice president of media relations and communications, who is leaving her post.
Rivkin said Powell’s global policy expertise and his gift of connecting with a wide range of audiences makes him the ideal choice for the new position.
HUNTER brings on Lori Ruggiero as managing director of its corporate communications practice... Covo Intelligence, an independent research and intelligence firm, names Tony Cheevers director of strategic growth... MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) hires Brian Swarth as SVP of marketing, effective July 20. 
Jeffrey Rosen, senior chair of the corporate department at legal firm Debevoise & Plimpton, joins FGS Global, where he will serve as senior advisor.
Whit Clay, who exited the Co-CEO slot at Sloane & Co. 18 months ago to head Longacre Square Partners’ New York office, has been promoted to serve as the first CEO of the financial communication shop.
Global Strategy Group names Claudio Taratuta as an EVP of the L@B, its in-house creative and media agency. Taratuta joins GSG from Praytell, where he was a founding team member... ROKK Solutions appoints Kris Havens as EVP of intel and insights. Havens was most recently a partner at Penta Group... Cliff House Maine brings on William Courtney Lowe as chief business development and brand strategist. Lowe joins Cliff House Maine from Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod, where he was VP of marketing & business development. 
Eitan Bencuya, who has more than 20 years of technology PR experience, has signed on with Brunswick Group as a partner in its San Francisco office.
