Ketchum Deepens Bench in Rapidly Expanding Areas of Health, Media; Announces Key Senior-Level Promotions

NEW YORK, April 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Leading global communications consultancy Ketchum today announced two appointments of top industry talent and three recent promotions of key senior leaders in areas of high growth that are seeing significant client demand, including Health Services; Media; Retail; Financial & Professional Services; Automotive, Energy & Manufacturing; and Travel, Hospitality & Leisure.

New senior hires to lead key industries and specialties include:

• Jen Fuhrman-Kestler, who joined Ketchum in January as EVP and Managing Director, Health Services. In this role, she leads client relationships that span hospitals and health systems, public health, and payers by deploying her diverse health experience to drive innovative client offers and programs, including health modeling, digital pharma and telemedicine. With more than 20 years in the industry, Fuhrman-Kestler has held roles at RXMOSAIC, Golin and Association Management Center, leading innovative consumer, corporate and product-focused healthcare communications initiatives across pharmaceutical, OTC, health tech, payer and provider brands, and nonprofit organizations.
• Angelena Abate, who joined Ketchum in February as EVP and Managing Director, Earned Media Strategy. Abate leads Ketchum’s Earned Media team, leveraging her more than two decades of experience in media strategy and engagement across top-tier outlets. In her media strategy roles at IBM and Burson-Marsteller, she developed and successfully executed wide-ranging media campaigns with a dual focus on corporate and executive positioning and consumer impact. Previously, she spent almost a decade as a network and cable news TV producer, holding production roles at CBS News, CNN and MSNBC. 

Recent promotions among Ketchum’s industry and specialty leaders include:

• Partner Sara Garibaldi, who previously served as Associate Portfolio Leader of Ketchum’s Financial & Professional Services and Travel, Hospitality & Leisure sectors, was promoted to Managing Director and Portfolio Leader, overseeing the firm’s Automotive, Energy & Manufacturing; Financial & Professional Services; and Travel, Hospitality & Leisure industry offerings. A 14-year Ketchum veteran, Garibaldi has more than 20 years of experience at top global PR firms leading award-winning integrated consumer communications campaigns and corporate communications initiatives across a wide range of industries impacting brand reputation and driving business growth.
• Partner Kevin Oates, who was previously Managing Director of the firm’s Transportation sector, was promoted to Managing Director, Automotive, Energy and Manufacturing. A 23-year veteran of Ketchum, Oates has led some of Ketchum’s largest and most extensive client relationships. With deep expertise in thought leadership and reputation management, he specializes in constructing perception-changing programs that grow businesses. 
• Abby Lovett, who was previously SVP and Managing Director of the firm’s Retail sector, was promoted to EVP and Managing Director, Retail. Lovett has spent 20 years at top global PR and advertising firms, including 11 years at Ketchum. She is known as a trusted client counselor who has consistently driven business results, despite volatile retail industry conditions.

“These appointments and promotions reflect the depth of our expertise across high-demand, high-growth industries, as well as specialty services that are critically important to our clients,” said Neera Chaudhary, President of Ketchum North America. “We are able to attract and retain top talent because of our strong culture and the opportunity to do innovative, award-winning client work that matters to the world. We’ve created a community where people show up to do their best work every day – not just for our clients, but for each other.”

Jamey Peters, Chief Client Operations Officer, North America, added, “Our expansion in these areas reflects the success of our consultancy model that organizes teams around industry and specialty expertise rather than geographic boundaries, placing clients in the center and offering borderless collaboration. Our clients have more efficient access to deep subject matter experts across Ketchum, and they benefit from the expertise of a boutique agency married with the full suite of services of a global firm. These five leaders are on the front lines of delivering expert counsel and creative strategy in areas of significant demand to solve our clients’ increasingly complex needs.”

About Ketchum
The winner of 131 Cannes Lions, Ketchum is the most creatively awarded firm in our industry. We’re equal parts human-centered and business-focused, empathetic and intelligent. As a global communications consultancy, we combine the deep industry and specialty expertise of boutique firms with global reach to find unexpected connections that lead to lasting relationships and work that matters. For more information on Ketchum, a part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, visit www.ketchum.com.

About Omnicom Public Relations Group
Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, language strategy, global health strategy and change management. As the largest group of communications professionals in the world, our employees provide expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group delivers for clients through a relentless focus on talent, continuous pursuit of innovation and a culture steeped in collaboration. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the Communications Consultancy Network, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC).

About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom’s branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 70 countries. Follow us on Twitter for the latest news.

SOURCE Ketchum