Pr News From MWWPR, 42 West & Porter Novelli
David Bentley Named New CEO at Porter Novelli
After being vacant since mid-December, the top spot at Porter Novelli has been filled by David Bentley, former Vice President of Digital at McKinsey & Company. In announcing his selection, the PR firm said the appointment was immediate and that Bentley would continue to assist clients to “find, live and tell their purpose.” Prior to McKinsey, Bentley had his own consulting firm and was a senior executive at AKQA in Europe and North America. He takes over the post vacated by Brad McAfee who replaced Karen van Bergen in 2016 when she was appointed CEO of the newly formed Omnicom Public Relations Group of which Porter Novelli is a part of.
Big Changes at 42West
Leslee Dart no longer shares the co-CEO title with Amanda Lundberg at the New York-based entertainment publicity/marketing agency. Dart is now Senior Strategic Advisor at Dolphin Entertainment which acquired 42West in 2017. Lundberg will remain as sole CEO at 42West.
Dart is expected to oversee the increasing acquisitions made by Dolphin. Since securing 42West, Dolphin attained The Door, Viewpoint Creative, and Shore Fire, a music PR company. Dolphin is expected to expand even more under founder and CEO Bill O’Dowd and acquire two more companies this year.
In addition to her new role, Dart will also continue to serve her celebrity clients like Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Martin Scorsese. Lundberg has her own client list of Hollywood who’s who that includes Tom Cruise, Guillermo del Toro, Shawn Levy, Paul Feig, and Bill Condon.
MWWPR Offers “Office Oasis”
Global PR firm MWWPR is offering attendees to the upcoming Advertising Week Europe (AWE) an opportunity to also take in its Office Oasis experience. The event, on March 16-19, will be held at London’s Picturehouse Central and is expected to draw European leaders from the marketing, technology, media and creative sectors.
The Office Oasis is extending attendees not only a place to get some work done between sessions but also complimentary breakfasts and lunches. Add to that 20-minute neck and shoulder massages. Reservations are being taken on a first-come, first-served basis.
Rebecca Blinston-Jones, MWWPR’s UK Managing Director, serves on the advisory panel for AWE and explained that firm, which has offices in nine US and UK locations wished to “provide attendees with that unique element to the event experience.”
New Agency in the Valley
PR veteran Elaina Verhoff recently announced the opening of her own firm – Elaina V -Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona. A self-described third generation PR pro and native of the Valley, Verhoff offers a wide range of services. They include everything from consulting, media relations, influencer marketing, social media and content, reputation management, special events and media training. In addition to her 25 plus years of PR experience, Elaina’s grandfather had his own PR firm and her father was in charge of communications for the City of Phoenix.
Elaina’s experience is deep and diverse. Some clients already include author Lisa Hartman, popular diner, daily dose, commercial real estate investment firm, Neighborhood Ventures, Kids in Focus, a nonprofit focused on at-risk kids, and ABI Multifamily, an apartment brokerage and advisory firm.
