Former Ketchum head joins Luther Pendragon

Luther Pendragon has named Avril Lee – former CEO of Ketchum – as director of the communications consultancy.

Lee joins Luther Pendragon after a decade at Ketchum, initially running the healthcare team in London and then Europe, before being appointed CEO for the UK in 2011.

Before joining Ketchum, Lee was deputy MD and a board director at Hill & Knowlton. She is a member of council at the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) and a spokesperson for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations' (CIPR) diversity working group.

Luther Pendragon managing director Simon Whale said he was delighted to have Lee join.

"She is one of the very best in communications, she has a fantastic track record and she brings a wealth of management experience. She is perfectly suited to our integrated, intelligent approach to communications and our broad client base,” he said.

Lee added: "Luther Pendragon is exactly what I was looking for – its plans for growth match my own ambitions and I'm really looking forward to contributing to its continued success."

Whale and Lee will co-lead on healthcare, although she will also work on other client sectors. Luther Pendragon's current healthcare clients include pharmaceutical and other commercial healthcare companies, trade associations, professional bodies and healthcare regulators.