Rod Cartwright Named Ketchum's Global Corporate Practice Director

LONDON and NEW YORK, March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ketchum, one of the world's leading public relations agencies, has named Rod Cartwright as director of its Global Corporate Practice. Cartwright succeeds Rob Flaherty, who has been serving in that role in addition to being senior partner and president of Ketchum. Cartwright continues to be based in London and assumes his new role on July 1. During the transition, Cartwright will remain focused on his current responsibilities as managing director of Corporate and Public Affairs for Ketchum Pleon London while a search at http://www.ketchum.com/jobs/uk?country=uk&bc.x=40&bc.y=12 is underway for his successor in that role.

"Rod brings an impressive track record in corporate communications, public affairs, and reputation management, nearly two decades of agency management experience, and a true international mindset to this role - essential elements for serving clients in the current global marketplace," said Ray Kotcher, senior partner and CEO of Ketchum. "Under his leadership, Ketchum will accelerate the creation of a global community of corporate specialists - a community focused on delivering true business value to our clients, as we help them manage reputational risks and capitalize on reputational opportunities."

Since joining Ketchum in 2008, Cartwright has led the London Corporate and Public Affairs Practice through a period of considerable growth, which has seen the team double in size. The London group now represents the overall agency's second-largest corporate practice group, working with an impressive roster of blue-chip clients.

In his new position, Cartwright will partner closely with Ketchum's senior corporate counselors from around the world to expand the practice's key capabilities and build on the agency's global portfolio of specialty services, which includes strategic media relations, issues and crisis management, public affairs, financial communications, corporate social responsibility, speaker services, and building executive profiles and training.

"Creating a strong global practice is not grounded simply in one person. However, one person can help a strong team to reach new levels of success," Cartwright said. "I'm very much looking forward to leading this enormously experienced group of corporate counselors, who already achieve outstanding results for their clients, as the practice continues to grow and evolve in order to support our clients' every need."

A vocal advocate for the public affairs and public relations profession, Cartwright has served as a board member of the U.K.'s Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) and as chair of its Public Affairs Committee. He also was recently named an inaugural PRCA fellow and is now a director of the new UK Public Affairs Council. In 2008, he was named PRCA's personality of the year, an award that recognizes a high-profile communications professional who has raised industry standards or improved the PR industry's reputation.

Prior to joining Ketchum, Cartwright held senior leadership positions managing the U.K. public affairs teams at Hill & Knowlton and GCI London, and he also served as a member of former Prime Minister Tony Blair's staff at Labour Party headquarters during the 1997 general election. Cartwright graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne with a first class honours degree (bachelor's degree) in modern languages and an M.A. with distinction in international political economy.

Cartwright's promotion is the latest in a series of Ketchum Pleon people announcements in London. In February, Partner Avril Lee was named CEO of the London office, and European President and Senior Partner David Gallagher was named chairman of that office. Earlier in the year, Amanda Sefton was promoted to managing director of the London Healthcare Practice; Mo Lishomwa, former digital director at Saatchi & Saatchi, was appointed head of digital for Ketchum Pleon London; and Daisy Wallace was hired in a new role as content consultant.

About Ketchum

A communications innovator and the 2010 Large PR Firm of the Year (Holmes Report and PR News), Ketchum is a leading global communications consultancy and, operating as Ketchum Pleon, is the largest, most diversified agency in the U.K. and continental Europe. With five global practices - Brand Marketing, Corporate, Healthcare, Food & Nutrition, and Technology - and specialty capabilities that include Access Communications (high- and consumer-tech PR), Concentric Communications (experiential marketing, events and meetings), MMG (clinical trial recruitment), Ketchum Global Research Network, Ketchum Pleon Change (change and workplace communications) and Ketchum Sports & Entertainment, Ketchum leverages its marketing and corporate communication expertise to build brands and reputations for clients. For more information on Ketchum, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC), visit http://www.ketchum.com .