Communications consultancy Ketchum has appointed Barri Rafferty to be its next president and chief executive officer.
She will take over from Rob Flaherty at the Omnicom company in January, when she become the first female boss at one of the top five PR agencies.
Rafferty joined Ketchum in 1994 and has served as global president since July 2016, prior to which she was CEO for North America – the agency’s largest region.
Karen van Bergen, Omnicom Public Relations Group’s CEO, said: “Barri brings strong business acumen, a passion for operational excellence, and a deep belief in the importance of talent, especially the critical role of diversity, equity and inclusion.
“Ketchum has a history of smooth leadership transitions and is known for growing leaders from within, and I’m so pleased to have Barri take on the leadership reins at Ketchum as Rob continues as chairman.”
Meanwhile, Ketchum’s current CEO Flaherty will continue to serve as the agency’s chairman, working with van Bergen, on the growth and success of the Group.