Hill & Knowlton Announces Senior Management Changes in EMEA Region

Press Release:  October 8, 2008

Hill & Knowlton today announced senior management changes involving a number of internal promotions. Sally Costerton, currently UK chief executive, will be promoted to chairman & CEO Hill & Knowlton EMEA from 1st January 2009. Costerton will replace Andrew Laurence who will step down after five years as chairman & CEO EMEA to become senior corporate counsel and chairman of the firm’s worldwide corporate practice committee, reporting to worldwide Chairman and CEO Paul Taaffe. Richard Millar, currently head of marketing communications H&K London will be promoted to UK chief executive.

Paul Taaffe said, “Under Andy’s leadership, we have achieved the goals I set for the region five years ago, which included significant international growth and greatly improved collaboration across our network. We have achieved a pre-eminent position within the European arena as the international network of record.”

“Once again H&K has been able to secure an appropriate succession both in EMEA and the UK from within its ranks and to manage change through a planned process. Sally Costerton brings a unique combination of experience; including senior client leadership and regional, specialist and geographic management roles within H&K. Richard Millar brings a long history with H&K plus senior management and marketing experience on the client side and arguably the best consumer PR track record in the UK.”

“I’d like to thank Andy Laurence for his leadership of the EMEA region during the past five years. It has been a successful period of growth and development. He has contributed much to our success and, as one of the most senior corporate counselors in the industry; I am delighted he has taken on the new challenge of shaping our global corporate offer to meet our clients’ changing needs. Andy, Sally and Richard will be working together for the remainder of the year to ensure a seamless transition.”

Costerton joined H&K in 1999, and became UK CEO in May 2006. She previously served as head of the technology practice in EMEA.

Richard Millar spent four years with H&K in the 1990s. He returned to H&K in 2004, after eight years in senior marketing and management roles, latterly as UK CEO of Habitat.

Andrew Laurence joined the company in 1989. He has previously held a range of senior positions with the company including chairman, European practices; head of corporate practice EMEA, deputy chairman H&K UK and CEO H&K UK.

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