Ogilvy PR has welcomed three new senior hires to its strategic leadership team as part of its ongoing development of deep communications specialisations and subject matter expertise.
Gloria Lee started as senior business director within the technology and corporate practice. Lee has supported a wide variety of businesses ranging from multinationals to start-ups during her communications career, honing her specialist skills within the technology and corporate sectors.
In addition to playing a key role within Ogilvy PR’s leadership team, she will lead the American Express account covering corporate reputation, business-to-business engagement and integrated consumer communications.
Lee will also head up the Atlassian relationship for the agency, covering brand, sustainability and Future of Work thought leadership.
Richard Brett, CEO of Ogilvy PR & Ogilvy Health, said of Lee’s hire: “Gloria will play a key role in adding senior strategic thinking to our corporate and technology practice, as we continue to transform it into primarily a business-to-business influence, business commerce, and content model. We’re excited to have someone with her broad experience on board.”
Also joining Lee on the leadership team is newly appointed head of publicity, Greg Vekiarellis. With 14 years of experience across entertainment, events, consumer brand publicity and media relations, Vekiarellis will head up Ogilvy PR’s cross-floor team of specialist publicists.
The specialist publicity team includes media relations experts in technology, corporate, consumer, travel and entertainment.
Brett said: “Greg will play a crucial role in convening a community of specialists within our agency that will work together to develop and share media relations strategy, best practice and connections.”
“This is a strong addition to our already thriving client-first capability, and we’re thrilled that Greg is transitioning from a contracting role to a permanent leadership role with the agency.”
Rounding out the new hires is Mike Lane who returns to the agency after a year in the UK, where he joins the health PR practice as business director, pharmaceutical communications.
Lane brings extensive experience across the pharmaceutical industry in Australia and the UK, as well as key international markets, with deep expertise in various disease states. In particular, Lane has developed deep specialist knowledge in oncology, delivering much needed change for patients.
Rachel Stanton, managing director of the health practice at Ogilvy PR, said: “We are thrilled to have Mike return to the agency and join our growing team of specialists at all levels, with increasingly diverse skill sets. With Mike’s deep expertise, increased experience and outstanding leadership we look forward to him doing what he does best with clients eager to drive impact.”
Brett said the three hires, and the expansion of Ogilvy PR’s strategic leadership team, was part of the agency’s ongoing development of specialisms within its consulting strategy and new structure that was launched in 2021.
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Top image: Greg Vekiarellis, Gloria Lee, Mike Lane