Ketchum has appointed Kate Paxton to lead its London healthcare offering, a move the agency said highlighted its commitment to its UK health business.
She takes over from Alison Doughty, who led Ketchum Health and was managing director of Ketchum’s med ed agency Inspired Science and will leave the agency next month.
Paxton was previously the director of the Washington, DC healthcare practice at Ketchum and has worked with the agency for the past 20 years.
She said: “I’m thrilled to join this well-established team. I look forward to using my experience leading a healthcare practice in the US to develop an even more collaborative, borderless approach to ensure we continue to deliver excellent results for our clients, while bringing exciting new opportunities to London.”
Meanwhile, Ketchum has also appointed as director of Inspired Science Neil McLelland, who arrives at the agency from a three-year spell as an executive director at Virgo Health Education.
“Kate and Neil bring a wealth of experience in healthcare communications, medical education and specialist team leadership, and I believe our clients will benefit greatly from their expertise,” said Denise Kaufmann, partner and CEO of Ketchum London. “Healthcare has always been a core driver for Ketchum London, and with this new influx of talent, we’re strengthening our existing business as well as accelerating our efforts in 2017.”
In their new roles at the Omnicom agency Paxton and McLelland will both report into Jo-Ann Robertson, partner and deputy CEO of Ketchum London.