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| Frank van de Koppel |
Hotwire appoints Frank van de Koppel as strategy creative director to helm its newly launched pan-European digital creative team, which will serve clients with campaigns fusing creativity, marketing and PR. Van de Koppel has led and developed digital marketing, social media and influencer campaigns for such brands as Netflix, Vodafone, BMW, Volkswagen and Porsche. Based in Amsterdam, he will partner with Hotwire’s teams in the US, UK and APAC on global programs in addition to leading the cross-functional team in Europe. “The Netherlands is one of the best countries for global technology giants to set up in Europe and having a dedicated presence here will support our ambitious growth plans across Europe and serve our clients in the markets they operate in,” said Hotwire CEO of continental Europe Ute Hildebrandt.
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| Erika Bellido-Jin |
Signal Group, a DC-based public affairs firm that became fully independent in March, hires Erika Bellido-Jin as VP of operations. Bellido-Jin joins the firm from Sullivan, where she served as director of business operations. Before that, she was director, revenue operations at Gallery Media Group. “Her role includes streamlining our operational efficiency and making investments in our people to reflect a modern approach to public affairs,” said Signal Group president Chelsea Koski. Signal has also promoted Madeleine Russak, who oversees communications strategy for a broad portfolio of Tribal, healthcare and veterans’ affairs clients to SVP and Jackson Parker, who supports several clients in renewable energy, international relations, veterans’ affairs, to senior associate.
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| Jayne O'Connor |
Taft Communications promotes Jayne O’Connor to senior vice president and Meghan Bianco and Nicole Kirgan to director in its sustainability practice. Since joining Taft in 2015, O’Connor has overseen the practice, most notably with ReThink Energy NJ, which seeks to advance clean energy policies within the state. She previously worked as press secretary for New Jersey governor Christie Todd Whitman and held corporate communications roles at Bristol Myers Squibb and Capital Health. Bianco, who has most recently served as director of media relations, provides guidance and execution on media strategy for accounts including Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind and PosiGen. Kirgan, who joined the firm in 2022, serves as director of policy and communications, a new position at Taft created to focus on the intersection between the two disciplines. She previously served seven years in state government at the New Jersey Department of Health and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. “Jayne, Meghan, and Nicole each bring a unique skillset that enhances our ability to deliver on our clients’ strategic communications goals through meaningful campaigns that create impact,” said Taft chief client officer Lindsey Pascarella.
Dan Meyers, who did a seven year stint at APCO, exiting as deputy manager director of its DC office, has joined Teneo as managing director in its Washington office.
ICR appoints BlackRock's Gabriel Hasson as global head of governance & shareholder advisory... MMGY Global hires Amazon's Oksana Kovalenko as chief human resources officer... NVG, a lobbying, strategy and policy advocacy firm, names Santiago Gonzalez as VP... Seven Letter brings on Ashley Smith as senior director of paid media at Seven Letter Labs, the shop's ad/creative services arm.
Golin brings on former Boeing CCO Brian Besanceney as a senior advisor in its corporate affairs practice... Constant Contact, which provides digital marketing tools for small businesses and nonprofits, hires Smita Wadhawan as CMO... Broadsheet Communications promotes Alex Wolf to serve as managing director of Broadsheet Intelligence, its new strategic advisory unit.
Utz Brands, a snacks marketer, names Trevor Martin as SVP, investor relations... Heven, which develops hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial vehicles for defense, public safety and commercial applications, brings on Warren Brown as CMO... MarketCast, a technology and data-enabled market research and analytics firm, promotes co-president Amy Fenton to CEO.... M&T Bank Corporation appoints Sam Mayper as SVP of federal government relations.
Disney's FX Networks is searching for a senior VP of publicity to handle PR for original programming and brand.
