About Hill & Knowlton PR company in United States, United States
Our global leadership council work together to ensure a networked agency with local relevance and global reach that serves our clients. Comprised of our central leadership team global sector leads and our geographical leaders they provide deep sector and market knowledge a breadth of public relations and communications expertise and a focus on innovation.
AnnaMaria DeSalva is the global Chairman and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies. She is a business leader and corporate affairs expert known for creating step changes in growth and reputation at leading innovative companies and global communications services firms.
Before joining H+K in June 2019 AnnaMaria served as Chief Communications Officer of E.I. du Pont de Nemours amp; Co. (DuPont) from 2014-2018 and subsequently as a senior advisor to Ed Breen the CEO of DowDuPont as he advanced the separation and launch of new independent public companies. During her tenure AnnaMaria restructured the communications function establishing new standards and protocols to reduce reputation risk and improve performance while ensuring the company successfully navigated a series of special situations demanding highly sensitive and effective public strategies including a proxy battle with an activist shareholder; a CEO transition; and the $130 billion merger of equals with Dow leading to the subsequent break-up and creation of three new industry-leading companies.
Prior to her tenure at DuPont AnnaMaria led corporate affairs for the innovative core of Pfizer where she played a principal role in the integration of Pfizers $68 billion acquisition of Wyeth and the turnaround of Ramp;D. Earlier she served as the global practice leader of healthcare at Hill amp; Knowlton and GCI Group both WPP companies delivering significant revenue growth for each firm. At Bristol-Myers Squibb DeSalva led international public affairs in oncology working principally in Europe and later became director of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation.
AnnaMaria currently serves as Vice Chairman of the board of directors of XPO Logistics (NYSE: XPO) a technology-driven Fortune 200 global provider of transportation and supply chain solutions and as a member of the Board of Governors of Argonne National Laboratory a leading science and engineering center of the U.S. Department of Energy.
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Richard is Global President of Hill+Knowlton Strategies and CEO of the Americas with responsibility for driving innovation and business transformation across geographies sectors and services.
Prior to his current role Richard was CEO of H+Ks flagship London operation from 2008 to 2018. During that time he reorganized the agency around a client-centric depth and breadth agenda diversifying the agencys capabilities and launching new products and services. This transformation agenda resulted in seven consecutive years of record growth an embedded creative culture and the agency recognized as UK Agency of the Year. Under his direction this program is now being adapted and implemented globally.
Richard leads a number of the firms global client relationships. Among these is adidas with whom he has a relationship stretching back to the agencys appointment in 1993. He cites his clients restless desire for ideas and innovation for cultural relevance as context for his ambitions for H+K.
In a seven-year period between his two terms at the agency Richard held a number of marketing and trading positions with a European retailer serving latterly as Marketing Director Europe.
Richard is graduate of the University of Manchester a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Trustee of Generation Success – an organization that champions social mobility and diversity across the professional services industries.
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Splitting her time between the US and the UK Sam is responsible for our new business strategy and conversion and the integration of new client partnerships.
Her role is to ensure the right focus and resource is deployed for every new client assignment. She also leads certain client assignments including overall leadership of our work for Cotton Council International as their global sustainability agency of record.
Sams responsibilities include the strategic planning and implementation of H+Ks marketing external communications and internal communications globally.
Prior to taking on the responsibilities for Business Development in 2006 Sam set up the Consumer Tech team which she grew to $2m and included a mix of global and local clients. Specifically she was H+Ks global lead for TomTom Verisign Jamster Shopping.com and AOL and the UK lead for Intel Play.com and DatingDirect.com among others. She also ran the global integrated BT Global Challenge account back in 1999-2001. Sam is a graduate in international business and modern languages (BSc 2:1) from Aston University and MSc equivalent for the Ecole de Management (lIECS) de Strasbourg. She speaks good French and rusty German.
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Alison is a consumer communications professional advising clients on influencer marketing and advocacy strategies; integrated brand building programs; digital and social media activation; cause related marketing and experiential campaigns to help clients actively manage their brand and corporate reputations with multiple audiences. She is also H+Ks chief client officer for Pamp;G worldwide responsible for their diverse brand portfolio developing broad ranging communications practices; creating Pamp;Gs biggest ever global PR program Thank You Mom leveraging their Olympics sponsorship across 78 markets; pioneering Pamp;Gs sustainability brand communications including the multi-award winning Ariel Turn To 30 initiative and Pamp;Gs Future Friendly consumer education program recognized by the Clinton Global Initiative; and the groundbreaking Pampers UNICEF campaign one pack=one vaccine campaign to help eliminate neonatal tetanus in developing markets.
Alison also leads WPPs S-Team a group of experts from around the world experienced in developing brand strategy and award-winning campaigns that leverage sustainability issues. The teams vision is to collaborate with and inspire clients in their sustainability journeys which help to accelerate meaningful change by connecting brands stakeholders and consumers to the benefit of all.
Prior to her global role Alison was Head of H+Ks Marketing Communications practice in London responsible for a range of blue-chip clients including Volvo Cars; Allied Bakeries; Bamp;Q; npower; Automobile Association; Black amp; Decker; General Motors; St Ivel; Unilever Best Foods; Fujitsu ICL and Pepsi. Alison joined H+K in 1994 and has over 20 years brand marketing and communications experience. She is a member of Women on Boards amp; Women in PR.
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Simon is Global Chief Creative Strategy + Innovation Officer of Hill+Knowlton Strategies leading the creative + innovation agenda globally both with clients and across the agencys sectors and specialisms.
Simon joined H+K as Chief Creative Officer in 2014 to lead the transformation of the London agency working alongside the CEO. Through a program of cultural and business change a new agency positioning was introduced along with the development of new processes specialisms and skills. In 2017 after three years of top and bottom line growth London was awarded the Holmes Report UK Agency of the Year and in 2018 Pan-EMEA won Consultancy of the Year.
A part of the transformation Simon has also led the creation of the H+K Shanghai Addition a bridge for Chinese clients to the rest of the H+K network. Simon currently spend around 1 week in 6 in China working with Chinese clients including Huawei Wanda Envision Sunning and Honor.
Prior to joining H+K Simon has held multiple creative leadership positions. He is a well-renowned and respected industry authority speaking and serving as judge at the Cannes Lions and as President on Damp;AD jury. In 2019 Simon was ranked one of the top 10 creative leaders by PR Week.
Simon is an awarded architect with architectural degrees from the University of Edinburgh and University College of London.
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Kate leads the agencys global strategy to attract onboard develop and retain talent. She also leads the efforts to identify and partner with senior candidates on opportunities around the world. In this role Kate partners closely with regional market and client leaders on topics including performance management employee retention engagement training and related initiatives worldwide.
Prior to joining H+K Kate spent more than four years with McKinsey amp; Company where she developed hiring strategies led senior executive and partner hiring created assessment processes and partnered with Human Resources on the onboarding and retention of experienced professionals. Most recently at McKinsey Kate led the talent strategies for the new Analytics Practice in the Americas leading a team of six recruiters while leading partner hiring and organizing a go-to-market strategy.
Prior to joining McKinsey Kate focused on executive level search at Korn Ferry and Spencer Stuart. In these roles she worked with consumer creative technology and industrial clients on CXO strategy finance marketing and operational needs.
Kate holds a Bachelors in Psychology and a Masters in Organizational Development from Bowling Green State University.
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Andy is Global CFO and a member of H+Ks global council. He is responsible for the leadership and oversight of worldwide finance and operation functions as well as H+Ks acquisition strategy– working with the senior leadership team in identifying acquisition candidates with emphasis on the faster growing practices and geographic markets.
Andy has been in finance for 30 years and for the past 18 years with WPP companies: Yamp;R the Brand Union and Burson-Marsteller. He has worked as a CFO Director of Planning and Analysis and Worldwide Controller.
Prior to joining WPP he worked for Coopers amp; Lybrand (PWC) Philip Morris (Altria) and Bristol-Myers Squibb – all in NYC – in increasing levels of responsibility.
Andy has a BS in Mathematics amp; Computer Science an MBA with a concentration in accounting and he is also a CPA.
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In his role Tomasz is responsible for operational excellence of H+Ks global operations partnering with regional leaders to drive high performance and support H+Ks growth agenda. Tomasz is also leading H+Ks strategy creation and execution effort including Mamp;A activity.
Prior to joining H+K Tomasz worked as a management consultant with McKinsey amp; Company completing ~40 projects across industries (financial sector PE consumer goods energy amp; others) functions (strategy corporate finance sales amp; marketing transformation programs amp; strategy implementation) and geographies (Europe and both Americas). His strategic experience includes developing a digital banking strategy for a top US bank turnaround strategy for a major global insurance company and a game-theory assessment of responses to a takeover of a strategic asset by a key competitor in the energy sector. In the corporate finance space Tomasz led multiple due diligence projects for Private Equity investors and coordinated Mamp;A preparation and execution process in two transnational acquisitions. His sales and marketing experience encompasses developing customer segmentation and go-to-market strategy for a major beer manufacturer and a new product launch for a US pharmaceutical company. Tomasz also coordinated a division-level transformation program at a major financial institution (delivering ~$100M EBITDA impact) and worked on branch network reorganization for a European bank with 1000+ locations.
Tomasz completed his MBA at Wharton where he received Palmer Scholar honors (graduating among top 5% of the class). He holds BA degrees in Economics and Business Administration from University of Gdansk from his native Poland.
Sara brings over 20 years of experience working on international and domestic communications campaigns for companies in the technology and telecoms space and for those companies using technology to drive innovative business models and solutions and to connect consumers with the latest innovations.
Her work has covered B2B enterprise and consumer/lifestyle audiences and all aspects of communications discipline from internal communications to PA and advocacy outreach. She leads global campaigns for Tata Communications Huawei Mercer Consulting Microsoft and Wipro Technologies and also advises on multi-national strategy and planning for Intel LG Electronics and others. In addition Sara is one of H+Ks crisis leads having handled crises of all kinds for telcos financial institutions health organizations and travel industry leaders.
Prior to taking the global role Sara led the APAC technology practice working with clients including Microsoft Nexus Guard Wipro Technologies and others.
Now based in the UK Sara has lived in six countries over the past 12 years and worked with teams and clients in over 40 markets worldwide.
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As Global Chair Public Affairs Philippe leads H+Ks global public affairs capabilities to benefit clients working closely with the firms leadership and teams around the world. He has worked for more than 25 years on policy issues and with governments in Africa Europe India the Middle East and North America helping business leaders anticipate and navigate public policy challenges to protect and enhance their license to operate. His experience at the intersection of public policy government relations and strategic communications spans the aerospace agriculture and food energy defense mining public health pharmaceutical and tech sectors.
Philippe joined H+K from McLarty Associates a leading global strategic business advisory firm where he served in leadership positions in the firms Brussels and DC offices. At McLarty he advised clients on major transatlantic trade matters; international market entry; government approvals of global mergers; government affairs challenges posed by sanctions regimes; and he implemented strategies in each area. Previously Philippe served as Executive Director in the Washington office of APCO Worldwide where he led APCOs global government relations practice. Earlier in his tenure at APCO he served as managing director of the Brussels office; oversaw operations in India the Middle East and Africa; and ran the Paris office.
Prior to joining APCO Philippe worked for the spirits division of the French luxury group LVMH in France and Germany; for the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva; and at the delegation of the European Commission in Washington DC.
A dual French and American citizen Philippe holds a master of science in foreign service from Georgetown University and a master of arts in law (Cantab) from Cambridge University. During the course of his studies he spent one year at the University of Bonn in Germany as a Konrad Adenauer fellow. He is fluent in French English and German.
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As Global Chair of Corporate Affairs Kelli Parsons leads the firms expertise across corporate brand and reputation financial communications crisis and issues management employee engagement and change management and ESG strategies. She provides strategic communication counsel and services to strengthen reputation and brand equity through periods of large-scale change such as 9/11 the Great Recession and the resulting decade of business transformation. Kelli particularly enjoys partnering with CCOs and advising executive teams and boards of directors to build stakeholder trust and create business and societal value in defining moments.
Most recently as Chief Communications Officer at United Technologies Kelli created the multi-stakeholder communication strategy for the companys transformation including its integration of Rockwell Collins spins of Carrier and Otis and $74 billion merger with Raytheon while managing complex geopolitical issues.
As CCO of Fannie Mae following the financial crisis Kelli rebuilt trust and reputation during the historic turnaround of the $3 trillion housing finance company. She authored the strategy and message to foster purpose among employees and communicate the companys progress to policy makers and regulators investors and consumers for which her team was awarded PRWeek Team of the Year.
Earlier in her career Kelli led H+Ks US corporate practice the firms largest global client relationship and its New York and Washington offices through financial and cultural transformation.
Beginning her career as a television news reporter Kellis assignments included U.S. presidential campaigns the humanitarian crisis in Bosnia and Hurricane Andrew.
Kelli earned a masters degree from Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism. She serves on the executive committee of the Page Society board of trustees.
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An accomplished financial industry marketing and human resource professional with demonstrated expertise in diversity and inclusion Azuree S. Montoute-Lewis has dedicated her life to creating supportive work environments with equal opportunities for all. She currently serves as H+Ks Global Head of Diversity Equity and Inclusion where she draws on almost two decades of experience with diversity program development recruitment employee engagement talent management advocacy and management training.
Widely regarded as a diversity amp; inclusion subject matter expert Azuree often presents at conferences and events on inclusion-related topics. As Global Director of Talent Diversity and Inclusion for Fitch Group she designed and implemented the organizations first diversity and inclusion strategy which included the ForwardPath Womens Leadership Development Program and the ’All of Us’ global inclusion training module. Azuree spent nine years as a Vice President in Citigroups Global Diversity and Talent Management department where she led teams responsible for succession planning talent reviews executive assessments coaching/development employee networking and flexible work initiatives. Azurees resume also includes positions within the marketing departments of Dun amp; Bradstreet and J.P. Morgan Chase.
Azuree earned her BA in Political Science Sociology and Physics from the University of Richmond as a part of the Cigna Honors Program. She holds an MBA in Marketing Management and Leadership from the Stern School of Business at NYU and will soon complete her masters degree in Organizational Development and Talent Management at NYU.
Azuree actively participates in multiple professional organizations which align with her passion for community service and efforts to empower underserved communities. She is a member of the New York Chapters of National Black MBA Association Society of Human Resource Management National Association of African Americans in Human Resources and Organization Development Network. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority now incorporated for over twenty years and her graduate chapter of Delta Rho Omega.
Vikki leads a global team of Content + Publishing experts around the world focusing on who we create content with what format that takes and where it lives. This means leading strategically-important client projects taking learnings from across our international client base and sharing best practice empowering teams to bring this to life locally.
Now based in New York she was previously at H+K London for four years as part of its Global Center of Creative Strategy. Here she defined our approach to the C+P discipline started its Data + Analytics team and delivered work for Campari Huawei Intel amp; more.
She has spent more than 13 years building and leading digital content teams from strategy to production social media management influencer outreach brand partnerships and UGC. Before H+K she held dual roles at Creston Unlimited group; Head of Agency for Things Unlimited and Head of Social for TMW Unlimited. In this time she worked with over 35 major brands within Unilever Activision McCain Foods Unilever Reckitt Benckiser Virgin Trains Infiniti Canon amp; more.
Vikki is a former journalist. Shes written for Contagious The Guardian Marketing Marketing Week new media age Econsultancy and was a G20Voice blogger for Oxfam at the G20 Summits in London amp; Pittsburgh. She also worked in-house as Content Editor for the Jaguar Future project – created by Jaguar to tell the stories behind the C-X16 concept car.
She was placed on PRWeeks Power Book for 2018 amp; 2017 The Drums Social Buzz Top 50 and Homes Reports Innovator lists speaks regularly at industry events and curates great examples of brand content at ContentWins.co.uk.
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Bashar is Chief Executive Officer of Hill + Knowlton METIA overseeing H+Ks growing business across the Middle East Turkey India and Africa (METIA) Continental Europe and the Nordics responsible for the companys network of wholly owned offices and affiliate partners across the region.
Bashar has enjoyed a successful 28-year career in public relations and the media business bringing significant regional experience and international insights to benefit clients. He has lived and worked in the UK UAE Iraq Morocco Tunisia Egypt Jordan and Bahrain. He serves as senior advisor to c-suite across the region.
Prior to joining H+K Bashar held several senior communications posts including director of public affairs at The Coca-Cola Company for the Middle East and Africa. He was a founding member of Intermarkets Public Relations in Dubai in 1992 and served on the Board of IraQna (an Orascom company) the first mobile phone network in Iraq in 2004/05.
Fluent in Arabic and English Bashar holds a B.Sc. Honours degree from Queen Mary College University of London.
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HS brings over 28 years of marketing and communications experience working for integrated marketing agencies DMBamp;B McCann-Erickson and in-house PR and marketing at The Westin Chosun and The Ritz-Carlton Seoul hotels prior to setting up Synergy Communications in January 2000 which later became Synergy Hill+Knowlton Strategies in 2002. HS also worked for major Korean broadcasting station MBC-TV for over two years prior to starting her career in the marketing and communications industry.
Currently HS leads a team of close to 250 staff across Asia including Korea Singapore Malaysia Thailand Indonesia and Japan and manages affiliate relationships across markets in Asia offering services in Corporate Marketing Communications Government Public Affairs Technology Consumer Healthcare and Crisis and Issues Management practices. HS also spearheads specialized service offerings for the Korean government and conglomerates going global including LG Electronics and has been involved in a number of government led Olympic projects including the most recent 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
HS has a strong background in corporate integrated communications and digital having worked for many blue-chip multinational clients throughout her career including Coca-Cola Nestle Pamp;G Johnsonamp;Johnson Audi Mercedes Benz Novartis GSK and many others. She also has deep understanding of Asian conglomerates and their business needs and has provided C-suite counsel on global PR strategy and framework set up to numerous conglomerates including LG POSCO SK Group and Hyundai Motor Company. HS is recognized as Campaign APACs Women to Watch 2020.
A graduate of Yonsei University majoring in Mass Communications HS served as the editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper ’The Yonsei Annals’ and won ’The Korea Heralds Best Article Award.’ HS also participated in the ’Young Korean Journalist Program’ hosted by USIS and Center for Foreign Journalist in Washington DC USA.
HS is a member of the KPRCA (Korea Public Relations Corporate Association) and is also on the board of the PRCA SEA.
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Simon is the UK CEO of H+K.
Simon is a specialist in corporate communications international public affairs financial PR and litigation communications. In addition to his role as CEO of H+K London Simon oversees H+Ks global energy and industrials business working across oil and gas traditional and new energy mining transport infrastructure and logistics. In 2018 his team was awarded Energy Consultancy of the Year at the Petroleum Economist Awards. Key clients have included Shell Dong Energy IOGP Statoil E.ON GE Oilamp;Gas/Baker Hughes Anglo American DHL ICMM Ford DP World and Hitachi.
Previously Simon was a partner at College Hill leading the energy and natural resources team and co-leading the emerging markets business across Russia/CIS Africa and India. At College Hill Simon managed the financial PR for many oil gas and natural resources companies; he won a SABRE award for his work with the Royal Bafokeng Nation and a PRCA award for best financial communicator for his work with Landkom. Before that he was European director of emerging markets for APCO Worldwide working with clients such as Yukos Oil the Alfa Group and President Yushchenko of Ukraine.
Simon has an MA (Hons) from Cambridge University an MBA from Cranfield School of Management and a Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Simon has lived and worked in the U.S. Japan Germany and Russia.
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Susanne Marell is CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies in Germany. Before joining H+K she was Managing Director at JP KOM and prior to that she served as CEO of Edelman for six years overseeing the acquisition and merger with ergo Kommunikation.
After her studies she started her career as a consultant with the agency K
