Weber Shandwick boosts UK leadership team
Weber Shandwick, the global strategic communications and consulting firm, today announced it has appointed two leaders in key roles in the UK team. Jess Dyas, previously Senior Vice President of Integrated Media Strategy, has been promoted to the role of Managing Director of the London Consumer team. Katie Hill, formerly Senior Vice President, Client Experience, has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Earned Media, UK.
The new leadership roles will further enhance Weber Shandwick’s focus on delivering compelling and comprehensive communications services and continue to grow the consumer offering for the UK business.
Based in London, Dyas will take ownership of Weber Shandwick’s consumer PR practice, concentrating on advancing its integrated offering and driving growth through new business and via Weber Shandwick’s existing client base. Over the past five years, Dyas has developed a track record of delivering campaigns that drive genuine value for her clients, which include eBay, Pinterest and Tinder. Through her leadership on the eBay account most recently, she oversaw the launch of the brand’s ground-breaking partnership with Love Island, kick-starting a conversation and cultural movement towards pre-loved.
Based in Manchester and working across the UK network, Hill will oversee earned media campaigns and media relations strategies across the agency’s consumer clients. During her eight years at Weber Shandwick, Hill has helped deliver client excellence and elevate media relations work, leading on award-winning campaigns while expanding the agency’s client portfolio. She has led campaigns for accounts including Iceland, IKEA, Aldi, McDonald’s and Selfridges. She also ran the agency’s work with The Food Foundation, which included the #WRITENOW child food poverty campaign fronted by Marcus Rashford MBE. Her leadership on the Iceland account has seen the agency win a series of industry awards including three Cannes Lions, a Platinum Diamond SABRE and a PR Week Global Award.
“Jess and Katie have both been key contributors to our business during their time at Weber Shandwick, driving incredible growth across our portfolio and truly exemplifying strong leadership as we continue forwards through the Era of Earned. Their insight and client experience will continue to bring further success to the agency in the UK. It’s great to see our people grow with our business,” said Helen Bennett, UK CEO Weber Shandwick.
Dyas said, “I am incredibly proud of the relationships we have developed with our brilliant clients – both longstanding and new. In this new role, I look forward to sharing my expertise across The Weber Shandwick Collective and working closely with different teams to shape the broader consumer proposition for our clients.”
Hill said, “It’s a privilege to lead on UK Earned Media for Weber Shandwick. I’m excited to create and drive successful earned media strategies that will drive coverage and build awareness for leading brands, taking our fame-making work to the next level.”