Ketchum Names Esty Pujadas as Global Technology Practice Director

Technology Practice Launches Tech 360 Offering to Provide Highly Integrated Approach to Technology Communications 
 

 

New York, Sept. 7, 2006 - Ketchum, a leading global public relations and marketing communications agency, today announced that Esty Pujadas, Senior Vice President and Group Manager, has been named Director of Ketchum’s Global Technology Practice, one of the agency’s five global practices.

       

In her new role, Pujadas will be responsible for serving as the senior client counsel for all technology practice accounts, leading the development of the practice’s strategic vision and client services, hiring talent for senior-level roles, and managing business growth and financial performance across the practice throughout Ketchum’s 23 offices in North America, EMEA, Asia Pacific and Latin America. She will succeed Paul Rand, who is Ketchum’s Global Chief Development and Innovation Officer and a Partner of the agency.

       

Pujadas joined Ketchum in 1996 and has 18 years of experience in leading communications programs for a wide range of technology companies. Pujadas helped lead the effort that in 2001 resulted in Ketchum’s selection as one of only three agencies to be named public relations agency of record for IBM. Since October 2001, Ketchum has been the lead agency for the “One Blue” team.

    

“The incredible growth of new digital technologies along with rapid advances in existing technologies have driven a transformation in both consumer products as well as business-to-business practices during the past 10 years,” said Raymond L. Kotcher, Ketchum Chief Executive Officer and Senior Partner. “Esty has played an important part in helping our clients develop comprehensive communications strategies to address their complex communications challenges in this rapidly evolving space. Her appointment to Director of our Global Technology Practice reflects her deep understanding of our clients’ business challenges and the contributions she has made to the growth and development of our technology business as a critical practice area of Ketchum.”

      
 

In tandem with Pujadas’s appointment, Ketchum announced the launch of Tech 360, a new practice initiative that integrates Ketchum’s technology expertise with the agency’s public relations and marketing communications skill sets in four business areas: consumer, business-to-business, healthcare and wireless. The program will combine specialists from Ketchum’s Brand Marketing, Healthcare, Corporate, and Food & Nutrition practices with Technology Practice members to create customized teams of experts that will provide tailored communications services for convergent marketplaces.

        

“As technology products and services have become increasingly intertwined with branding and as they have been adapted for specific industries, a need has arisen for a more sophisticated approach for helping companies communicate technology-related issues and offerings,” said Pujadas. “Tech 360 is a cross-practice solution that brings together our professionals’ wide range of public relations skill, account experience and industry knowledge to provide the precise mix necessary to address the needs of both technology companies and companies striving to realize the full potential of their brand via technology innovations.”

     

To help lead the development of the cross-practice offerings of Tech 360, Pujadas will tap the expertise of three Ketchum senior leaders: Teri Daley; Laurie Mobley; and Andy Roach. 

    

Daley, who brings more than 18 years of experience as a journalist and public relations practitioner, has spent most of her career helping industry-leading companies such as Sabre and Nokia define and maintain their reputation as technology innovators. Having worked in all aspects of the wireless industry, including devices, operating systems, applications and infrastructure, she brings in-depth industry insights and the ability to develop reputation-defining, integrated-communications programs for companies working to communicate their wireless offerings to consumers, the enterprise and partner stakeholders.

     

Mobley, with more than 14 years of experience in managing healthcare communications, including for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will lead the healthcare-technology segment of Tech 360. In this role, she will help clients harness the convergence of healthcare and technology from discovery to delivery to ultimately impact patient care.

     

Roach, who has worked for such technology leaders as IBM and Accenture and has acquired more than 13 years of experience in public relations and marketing as well as in information technology strategy and management, will lead the business-to-business part of Tech 360. In this role, he will help clients develop, validate, and deliver effective campaigns for the enterprise I.T. community, including CIOs, technology vendor partners, and key industry influencers. He also will continue to serve as the agency’s Chief Information Officer. 

    

     

An innovator in communication since 1923, Ketchum delivers seamless service around the globe through its 23 offices and 47 affiliates in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. With its five global practice areas – Brand Marketing, Corporate Communications, Healthcare, Food & Nutrition, and Technology – Ketchum offers clients a unique breadth and depth of marketing and corporate communications expertise. A leading global public relations firm and the PRWeek 2002 Agency of the Year, Ketchum is a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC; www.omnicomgroup.com). Additional information on Ketchum, its award-winning work, and past news releases can be found at www.ketchum.com.