The Bloc Expands European Capabilities and Leadership to Help Clients Embrace a Changing Market

LONDON , June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bloc, a leading independent health creative agency, continues its strategic expansion in Europe, opening a London office as part of its worldwide growth initiative to support clients seamlessly across vital markets. Alongside the established European locations, including Milan, Basel, and Munich – the London office will serve to amplify The Bloc's behaviourally enriched creative and scientific communications offering for clients across Europe and globally, whilst tapping into the region's rich talent pool and dynamic healthcare landscape.

Jennifer Matthews, Global President and CEO, commented, "Further expansion in Europe is central to our strategy of serving clients across all key global markets with best-in-class talent. Our model is custom built to meet the unique needs of the EU market, while integrating with our teams and capabilities in the US and Asia."  

The move is supported by key leadership hires who, alongside existing regional agency and discipline heads, form a new European leadership team and robust operating structure to enable clients to benefit from The Bloc's communication strength and excellence in delivery seamlessly across markets.

The team in London is spearheaded by James March as Managing Director, an industry leader with 25 years' experience in healthcare communications, building teams and global client business in Havas, Hive, McCann, and Publicis.

James is joined by two highly experienced leaders. Andrew Gardner joins as Executive Strategy Director. Andrew was previously Chief Strategy Officer at Havas Lynx, and held prior leadership positions at McCann Health London and VCCP, helping build some of the biggest brands in healthcare.

Raakhee Thompson joins as Executive Client Director. Raakhee was previously Managing Partner at Weave Health, and held prior leadership positions at both Omnicom and Publicis. Raakhee also has experience working within several pharmaceutical companies including Merck Life Sciences and Boehringer Ingelheim. 

"I'm excited to be part of such a talented European team and entrepreneurial business," said James March. "The Bloc has the perfect mix of talent, differentiation, and flexible scale to meet the needs of clients in a rapidly changing market. We are the energised, agile, proactive partners who can supercharge our clients' success."

James, Andy, and Raakhee have worked together previously and join forces with Alessandro Seveso, CEO of Milan and Basel, and Florian Bernsdorf, Managing Partner Munich, to lead The Bloc in the region.

"After the acquisitions made in late 2023 followed by an integration phase in 2024, the opening of our new office in London in 2025, with impressive strategic hires, signals that we are fully equipped and ready to serve regional and global clients. Our unique and powerful BE-COMMS ^® approach, along with our scientific, strategic, and creative strength and a proven ability to execute flawlessly in market, will bring more creative solutions and more value to our clients' challenges," said Alessandro Seveso.

Inspired for 25 years by the company mission, Be Great to Do Good, the Bloc continues to challenge the agency and network status quo by offering a refreshingly differentiated proposition: an independent, people-first agency network that places effectiveness at the heart of its promise.

Central to this promise is the continued development of The Bloc's proprietary BE-COMMS platform – a powerful operating system and suite of behavioral communication tools which help clients cement real-life behavior change for lasting impact. Unlike other communications approaches, BE-COMMS goes deep into leveraging the unconscious and conscious factors that shape customers' decision making, transforming these into behavioral strategy and engaging customer experiences. Combined with global, regional and vital in-market presence and seamless operational capability, The Bloc can deliver trusted excellence at a flexible scale for a variety of clients.

About The Bloc
The Bloc is the only global health-native agency that cements real-life behavior change for lasting impact. Inspired by our mission, Be Great to Do Good, we build great brands and experiences in the service of good health. Our proprietary BE-COMMS (Behaviorally Enriched Communications) operating system, along with award-winning creativity, strong scientific expertise, and local market knowledge, powers effective marketing and medical communications for our clients worldwide. Celebrating 25 years in business, we're still proudly independent. Learn more at thebloc.com.

Media Contact:
Kristina Diodati
Lightspeed PR
[email protected]

SOURCE The Bloc