'PEOPLE MOVES' - August 2010 edition

Conservative parliamentary candidate Ben Jeffreys, who contested Cheadle in May’s election, has become a full-time account director at Bellenden, heading its Edinburgh office. He previously worked part-time for Bellenden.

Former Times journalist Tim Hames has returned to the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) as head of PA, comms and campaigns after about nine months as special adviser to Commons Speaker John Bercow. The BVCA hired Alan Murray as head of comms and PA last year (PAN, Dec 09) but he left in April.

The agency GK Political has recruited two Lib Dem supporters: Stephen Aldhouse as a senior consultant and Pamela Mulcahy as a consultant. The former has formerly worked at Luther Pendragon and Quintus (which was acquired by Luther eight months ago). Mulcahy was previously at Political Intelligence.

Tom Rabbetts has joined the National Farmers’ Union as farm policy specialist. He was formerly technical and policy adviser at the Royal Society of British Dairy Farmers.

Portland PR has hired Idil Oyman as an associate director and Mark Wallace as a senior account manager. Oyman was formerly regional press manager for the Conservatives, while Wallace was until a fortnight ago campaign director at the TaxPayers’ Alliance.

Save the Children UK has appointed former Oxfam director of campaigns and policy Justin Forsyth as its new CEO. He was previously director of strategic communications at Number 10.

Euro RSCG Apex Communications has hired Michael Wade, a Conservative who is chairman of Optex Group, as a non-executive director and senior adviser. It has also appointed James Drewer, who has previously worked for the Tories as a press officer and as at the agency Good Relations, as an associate director.

Blue Rubicon director Chris Norton has been promoted to deputy MD. Norton joined the comms and PA agency two years ago from a role as special adviser to Labour’s then-health secretary Alan Johnson MP (PAN, May 08).

Fleishman-Hillard London has merged its PA and corporate comms teams, placing its long-serving head of public affairs, Nick Williams, at the helm of the combined 23-strong team.

Edelman has promoted directors Chris Rumfitt and Jamie Lundie to be joint-MDs of its 20-strong PA practice. The move follows the promotion of Alex Bigg to be group MD of a new corporate and financial practice (PAN, June).

The agency Champollion has hired Sam Cannicott as an associate consultant. He is a former education adviser for the Liberal Democrats.

Human Tissue Authority head of comms Daisy Thomas has joined Hill & Knowlton as an account director. She has formerly worked at the Stroke Association.

McDonald’s UK head of PA Hugh Milward will start in about four weeks’ time as deputy MD at the agency TLG. Public Affairs News revealed last month (July edition) that Milward had resigned from the fast-food firm after just under four years.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has appointed Dee McIntosh as director of comms, starting on 13 September, with responsibility for PA. She joins from a role as director of marcoms at Lantra, one of the UK’s Sector Skills Councils. Battersea’s former director of comms, Helen Dexter, left last summer. Claire Filby has since been acting in the role.

Media Intelligence Partners (MIP) is working with Michael Magan, a former White House aide, on ‘developing consultancy services for US and UK corporates, research institutes and government relations’. MIP, run by Nick Wood, has also hired ex-CCHQ staffer Sophie Kydd to work for drug treatment charity client Addaction.

30th July 2010 by PAN staff