Amanda Sefton Named Ketchum's Global Healthcare Practice Director

NEW YORK and LONDON, Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ketchum, one of the world's leading public relations agencies and PRWeek's 2012 Agency of the Year, has promoted partner Amanda Sefton to director of its Global Healthcare Practice. Ms. Sefton will remain in London and will assume her new role on Dec. 1. During the transition, she will continue serving as managing director of the London Healthcare Practice. A search is underway for her successor in that role.

"Amanda is a proven leader with a depth of healthcare experience and a wide global view that more accurately reflects today's changing world of health. She is a sought-after client counselor who combines an entrepreneurial spirit with an eye for developing creative and insightful programs for healthcare clients," said Dale Bornstein, senior partner and director, Global Practices, for Ketchum. "She also is a true integrator who understands how to collaborate with colleagues around the world – in our many healthcare specialties and beyond – to deliver ideas for our clients that really work in the markets in which they do business. As we look to the future, our ability to bring integrated, real-world solutions forward – reflective of cross-practice, cross-capability, multi-channel thinking – will be critical to our clients' success."

Ms. Sefton brings to the role 15 years of experience working in three regions (Europe, North America and Asia) for some of the world's largest healthcare brands spanning all aspects of the industry, from pharmaceuticals to patient advocacy to service delivery. She will be responsible for setting the strategic direction of the practice, ensuring the continued delivery of seamless client service, and acquiring talent to deepen the agency's healthcare capabilities around the world. This includes collaborating with senior counselors and leaders from Ketchum's other practices and specialty areas, such as clinical trial patient recruitment firm MMG, medical education specialty Inspired Science, change management and internal communications firm Ketchum Pleon Change, and word-of-mouth marketing firm Zocalo Group, to provide clients with a comprehensive healthcare offering.

Ms. Sefton is part of a team of senior leaders who have worked together in recent years to lead the Global Healthcare Practice, including Lorraine Thelian, senior partner and vice chairman; Avril Lee, partner and CEO, London; Nancy Hicks, SVP and associate director, North American Healthcare Practice; Amy McCarthy, SVP and director, New York Healthcare Practice; and Kate Paxton, SVP and director, Washington, D.C., Healthcare Practice.

"Ketchum's healthcare capabilities are among the strongest in the industry, and the practice has thrived over the last several years under the leadership of a driven, capable team," said Ms. Sefton. "I am looking forward to my continued work with clients, to building on the practice's success, and to working even more closely with the talented counselors we have positioned around the world."

Ms. Sefton was named a Ketchum partner in June, recognizing her ability to provide value for clients by creating multidimensional relationships throughout the organization. She previously held roles at Ketchum that include director and associate director of the London Healthcare Practice, as well as director and associate director of the London office. In addition to her roles at Ketchum, Ms. Sefton also held roles at Ogilvy PR and served as director of Weber Shandwick's Asia-Pacific healthcare practice while she was based in Hong Kong. She has worked on behalf of major national and international NGOs, non-profits and the U.K. Department of Health. Ms. Sefton is an active member of the Healthcare Communications Association and the Public Relations Consultancies Association's Health Interest Group.

About Ketchum
Ketchum is a leading global communications firm with operations in more than 70 countries across six continents. Named 2012 PR Agency of the Year (PRWeek) and the winner of an unprecedented three consecutive PRWeek Campaign of the Year Awards, Ketchum partners with clients to deliver strategic programming, game-changing creative and measurable results that build brands and reputations. For more information on Ketchum, a part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., visit www.ketchum.com.

About Diversified Agency Services
Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), manages Omnicom's holdings in a variety of marketing communications disciplines. DAS includes over 200 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

SOURCE Ketchum