Communications Veteran to Lead Top-5 Firm’s Largest Region
NEW YORK, Jan. 6, 2021 – Global communications consultancy Ketchum today announces the hire of Neera Chaudhary as president of North America. Chaudhary is a communications veteran, with significant leadership experience at top public relations agencies and deep healthcare expertise across brands, corporate, nonprofits, government and public health organizations. Based in New York, she will join the firm Feb. 1 and will be responsible for the talent development, client relationships, business growth and operational oversight of the firm’s largest region. Chaudhary will report to global president and CEO Mike Doyle and will serve on the Ketchum Executive Team.
“Neera’s distinctive combination of creative brainpower and strategic acumen has skyrocketed her to success throughout her career and made a lasting impact on the colleagues, organizations and clients with whom she’s partnered along the way,” said Doyle. “From our first conversation, we loved her intuitive and natural blend of empathy and intelligence, and I know she’ll be a brilliant addition to our growing Ketchum community.”
Doyle continued, “Neera is really the leadership embodiment of our business strategy. She is a formidable client and business leader, but she also forged her career in the many facets of healthcare, a category that is vital to nearly every industry in this region and certainly an important priority for Ketchum. I am thrilled to have found in Neera a leader who so clearly represents the future of our firm, where every executive is embedded in client work as a deep subject matter expert.”
In 2018, Ketchum restructured its North America region into a single P&L, with talent organized not by geography but into industry sectors and specialties in alignment with their expertise. Today, Ketchum offers extensive vertical expertise in 12 industries (CPG, Energy & Industry, Financial & Professional Services, Food Ag & Ingredient, Food & Beverage, Health Innovation & Wellness, Health Services, Public Sector & Government, Retail, Technology, Transportation and Travel & Economic Development) and 16 communications specialties (Analytics, B2B, Content, Creative, Digital Strategy, Employee Communications & Engagement, Entertainment, Executive Advisory Services, Financial Communications, Influencer Marketing, Issues & Crisis, Media, Paid, Purpose, Sports and Studios).
“Ketchum’s decision to reorganize to a communications consultancy model, effectively eliminating geographic borders in favor of deep industry experts and communications specialists, is the way of the future for our industry,” said Chaudhary. “It is this unique structure, and the amazing talent that are leading it to success, that inspired me to embark on this exciting opportunity to identify untapped potential for clients and drive forward Ketchum’s North America strategy.”
Chaudhary most recently served as global president of healthcare at Golin, a role she has held since 2017. In that role, she served on Golin’s global executive board and led the Golin Health and Virgo Health brands, where she drove business transformation and growth through a strategy consultancy model, performance-driven talent development, creation of a separate healthcare P&L in the U.S., converting the business base from soft domestic healthcare clients to large global AOR pharma clients, and differentiating expertise in medical education and healthcare creative. While in that role, she was inducted into Medical Marketing & Media’s 2018 Hall of Femme.
Previously, Chaudhary served as executive creative strategist for Cohn & Wolfe’s healthcare practice, leading strategy and creative for clients across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, health technology and consumer health. She’s also held communications, marketing and consulting roles at Porter Novelli, Motif Biotechnology Business Consulting and ANOKHI Magazine, and began her career working in clinical practice and public health in Canada. A registered dietitian, Chaudhary earned a master’s in nutrition communications and public health and is training toward a Ph.D. in human nutrition, both from the University of Toronto.
About Ketchum
The winner of 105 Cannes Lions and PRovoke’s Global Creative Agency of the Year, 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, marketing to women, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,300 public relations professionals in more than 370 offices worldwide who provide their 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 DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.
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