Ketchum announces CEO succession plans

Ketchum has selected current senior partner and president Rob Flaherty for the role of chief executive officer (CEO), effective from July 1st 2012.

Mr Flaherty will take over the position from current CEO and senior partner Raymond Kotcher, who takes on the mantle of chairman as part of a seamless multi-year management transition plan.

The new CEO has been with the company since 1989, during which time he has been involved with all aspects of Ketchum and worked with some of its biggest clients, including Pfizer, Philips and IBM.

Meanwhile, Mr Kotcher will continue his involvement with a company he has led through a period of major transformation, including its merger with Pleon in 2009.

Mr Flaherty said: "I plan to focus on priorities such as bringing broad global perspective to the agency's leadership team and continuing to innovate with an agile approach to identifying and introducing new products and services."

Ketchum claimed the titles of PR agency of the year and large PR agency of the year at the PRWeek Awards in March 2012, while its Ketchum Pleon division recently claimed six accolades at the EMEA Sabre Awards.