The week in PR: a roundup of the top stories

The week in PR is a look at all the big stories in public relations and communications sector as reported by the media in the week gone by. The highlights include PR Week’s editor Ruth Wyatt stepping down from her role, a new comms chief at United Biscuits, Bell Pottinger picking up the comms brief for Missguided and more. To have your news featured here next week, please email me at [email protected]
Moves and changes

PRWeek brand editor Ruth Wyatt steps down via PRWeek
PRWeek brand editor Ruth Wyatt is to leave Haymarket following the relocation of the title to Teddington from Hammersmith.
In her time as brand editor, Wyatt presided over the successful relaunch of PRWeek as a monthly magazine and oversaw the launch of its digital product suite last autumn.

David Bond to leave role as BBC sports editor for PR job by Charles Sale via Mail Online
BBC sports editor David Bond is to leave the Corporation to join the Milltown PR agency set up by former Royal spindoctor Paddy Harverson.
David, who joined the BBC in 2009 from the Daily Telegraph, wanted a change of career direction with less travel commitments for personal reasons with his wife expecting their third child.

Harvey Nichols expands marketing and press department with two new hires via Bloomberg Businessweek
Harvey Nichols has hired two new directors, both reporting directly to new chief executive Stacey Cartwright following a restructuring of its marketing and press departments. Shadi Halliwell has been appointed group marketing and creative director, responsible for brand development, advertising and marketing. She joins from telecoms firm O2, where she was head of brand and marcomms. Emma Byrne has been appointed group communications director, joining from Barclays’ Retail Businesses, where she held the same position. She will be responsible for both internal and external communications. Byrn joined on April 28, 2014, while Halliwell will join on June 9, 2014. Both will join the management board.

Rebecca Salt Appointed to Lead UB Global Communications via United Biscuits
United Biscuits (UB), a global manufacturer of snacks, biscuits and cakes, has appointed Rebecca Salt to the newly created role of chief communications adviser. Reporting to United Biscuits CEO Martin Glenn, the role includes responsibility for the Group’s global external and internal communications activities.
Prior to joining United Biscuits Rebecca Salt was group communications director at FTSE 250 construction firm Balfour Beatty.

Publicis Groupe customer engagement agency Rosetta has appointed Alexander Ouvaroff to the team to lead the Los Angeles office by Ishbel Macleod via The Drum
Joining from Mindshare, where he held the role of managing partner, Western region lead, Ouvaroff will now look to expand Rosetta’s West Coast business, while also overseeing account management for some of the agency’s key Los Angeles-based clients.

Account wins

Bell Pottinger wins corporate comms brief for retailer Missguided by Daniel Farey-Jones via PRWeek
Missguided, a UK-based online women’s fashion retailer, has appointed Bell Pottinger as its global lead agency for all corporate communications after a competitive pitch. The agency will build the profile of the company and its founder and MD, Nitin Passi.
The trade brief was previously handled by BPR, which will continue to hold the fashion PR brief.

Hotel giant Hilton Worldwide has moved its UK brand PR duties to Grayling via Grayling
Hilton Worldwide has moved its UK brand PR duties to Grayling after six years with Golley Slater.
The brief will cover brand and PR work for Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton and HHonors.

HouseTrip.com hands Weber Shandwick European brief via veooz UK
Holiday rental website HouseTrip.com has hired Weber Shandwick to look after its pan-European strategy. Its London and Paris offices will be responsible for the execution in the UK and French markets, while HouseTrip’s current agencies in Germany and Spain – Global Communication Experts and Globally Turismo – will remain responsible for the execution of the new strategy within their respective markets.

Instinct taps Red Lorry Yellow Lorry for UK PR Mandate via The Holmes Report
Instinct, the financial services digital customer experience specialist, has chosen technology PR agency Red Lorry Yellow Lorry (RLYL) as its UK PR agency. The ‘Lorries’ will aim to develop an issues and thought-leadership based campaign that highlights Instinct’s work in improving engagement and transparency of digital platforms in the financial services sector.

Commentary

A ‘regrettable episode’? The BBC’s crisis comms on Jeremy Clarkson racism row is falling short via The Drum
Keith Beech, a former journalist and senior editor with the BBC, is now director of Core Management – Crisis, Organisation and Reputation, part of the Nexus Communications Group. In an opinion piece published in The Drum, Keith discusses how BBC’s crisis comms strategy ‘simple doesn’t cut it.’

Tipsheet

The Four Elements of Digital Marketing via Cision UK
In the wake of his 450th birth anniversary, we decided to recognise his contributions not just as a master playwright, but also as a master of communications who had total command of his subject, his audience and his medium.
Taking inspiration from Shakespeare’s work, Cision has published a tipsheet that lists the four elements that can make your communications strategy pertinent yet timeless.