PR Happenings: Former Porter Novelli Boss Lands, Weber Shandwick Brazil & Oracle PR Updates
The PR world sometimes sees rapid-fire changes, people leaving one firm, trying new ventures, or starting with new firms. Firms take on new clients, vie for business by submitting RFPs and enjoy the opportunities to make a difference while working with non-profit organizations, public affairs agendas and initiatives, and bringing new and burgeoning businesses into the light of day for consumers to experience new products or innovations to existing services.
That’s one of the great joys of PR, and sometimes one of the hair-pulling frustrations, things are always changing. Sometimes they change so much, we feel we’re always playing catch-up in our efforts to keep readers current, but here’s some of what’s been happening in the great global field of PR recently.
Porter-Novelli Former Boss Lands At Mercer
After leaving the position as global president, Porter Novelli, Julie Winskie recently joined the consulting giant Mercer as a partner and global branding and communications leader. She worked with Porter Novelli for twenty-five years before suddenly leaving in 2012. While there, she led the brand marketing practice, the New York office, and the Americas region.
When she left Porter Novelli, she was part of the global leadership triumvirate with CEO Gary Stockman and global president Anthony Viceroy, who have both left the firm since her departure. Before leaving, Winskie was head of global client relationships, such as P&G, HP, and McDonald’s.
In between leaving Porter Novelli and starting with Mercer, Winskie worked as an independent consultant, “helping Fortune 500 companies design integrated reputation strategies to build passion with customers, employees, influencers and investors.”
Transmedia Group Appoints Ken Qualls President of New Aviation Division
In September of this year, TransMedia Group gave Ken Qualls the lead role for the PR’s Aviation News, Operations, and Sales. This new division will comment on professional opinions associated with flight safety and air disasters, and offer guidance for purchases of private and corporate aircraft.
Captain Qualls is a veteran airline and corporate pilot. As president, he is slated to analyze breaking news in the aviation industry. Tom Madden, chairman-CEO of TransMedia group, praised Qualls, calling him the top expert for Gulfstream and Boeing aircraft. He also mentioned Qualls’ roughly 30,000 hours spent in flight worldwide.
New Office for Weber Shandwick Opened in Brasilia to Extend Public Affairs Reach Across Brazil
Weber Shandwick, a leading global communications and engagement firm, opened an office in Brasilia to extend its public affairs services in the Brazilian capital, where its strategic counseling affects policy and government relations to clients networked across Latin America.
Andreia Salles is the managing director of the new office. She brings over fifteen years of experience developing custom-made public relations and content creation strategies for brands spanning industries such as food, education, fashion, retail, technology, and finance. Salles earned a degree in journalism from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and followed this with a graduate degree in digital journalism from the International Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Navarra.
“Expanding our network to Brasilia is a natural next step for Weber Shandwick as clients increasingly are asking for counsel on how to navigate a very complex public policy landscape in Brazil and understand how changes in regulations will impact their organizations,” explained Ze Schiavoni, CEO, S2 Publicom Weber Shandwick. “With Andreia leading the charge, our team of experts in Brasilia will serve as strategic counsel for clients as they maneuver a new and complicated regulatory environment.”
The new office hit the ground running with key clients, working on strategic communications counsel for telecommunications company TIM Brasil and EAD, a consortium organized to support the shift from analog to digital TV across the nation. Weber Shandwick’s growing Brazilian network includes offices in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Alphaville, as well as a broadly growing presence throughout Latin American hubs like Mexico City, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Columbia. Weber Shandwick Brazil was awarded the title Communications Agency of the Year in Brazil in 2015 by the Comunique-se Awards and a Mega TOP 10 Brazil Communications Agency.
Mike Moeller Named PR Head of Oracle
Oracle, recently hired Mike Moeller as their PR Head. Moeller, a former employee of Xerox and IBM, is leaving the marketing software firm Marketo to take this new position.
Moeller’s LinkedIn profile says he is slated to “oversee all of public relations (corporate, product, and international) as well as social media for Oracle,” working at their headquarters in Redwood Shores, California. Moeller stepped into his new Oracle office on November 11th.
At Oracle, he will work with several firms – the company works with Burson-Marsteller, Brew PR, Blanc & Otus, Golin Harris, and others.
