At the end of last year, FleishmanHillard named Laura Russo as Global Managing Director of its new comprehensive media relations practice. The revamped media practice aims to bring the power of 21st century, data-driven storytelling to clients through centers of media excellence around the world, connecting its network of influencers, former journalists and earned media practitioners, while the over 400 FH employees operates as a global newsroom, identifying trends and putting together packages of content to help clients share their stories.
“We will continue to evolve our suite of media services including the integration of a firm-wide standard for executive media training, rollout of a newly developed set of data driven tools for nimble, speed to market execution, and ensure we are leveraging client stories across paid, earned, shared and owned channels,” Russo told DIVERGE.
As a part of the revamped media practice, FH announced the hiring of Tim Race, a 27-year veteran of The New York Times.
“Tim’s hire is another important milestone in establishing true industry leadership,” Russo explained. “He joins our base of senior media strategies to not only add great strategy muscle for clients, but help design and shape the editorial approach for clients including the structure, timing and sequence of stories across channels.”
Race, a long-time business editor, writer and newsroom manager in New York and Europe, will be located in FH’s New York City office where he joins other former journalists including Fran Carpentier, who spent two decades as senior editor at Parade magazine; Barbara Pinto, a former correspondent and anchor for ABC Network News, CNBC and PBS; and Jeff Pohlman, a former investigative reporter with CNBC, CNN and NBC.
Race will also serve as a senior level strategist, helping design and shape clients’ editorial approaches including the structure, timing and sequence of stories across channels.
FH also announced the appointment of five regional media relations leads, including Jan Rasmussen, Americas; James Dyson and Patrick Yu, APAC; Peter Meikle, EMEA; and Denise Rockenbach, Latin America.
“The regional leads will help drive our global initiatives forward, and build our media talent base across the firm,” Russo stated. “Building a more connected network ensures our clients have access to the firms top earned media relations specialists.”
“In addition, the regional leads will customize programs, like media certification, to meet the needs of their regions,” she added.
The Media Certification Program is one Russo has worked on with FH leaders in APAC, EMEA and the Americas to develop. As the industry first Media Certification Program, the program will provide education and training from former journalists and seasoned professionals within the agency to ensure a robust global media engine that is always up-to-date on current trends.
“There’s been tremendous excitement from our staff and trainings are underway,” Russo said. “The media certification program ensures the highest standards for practicing media relations and is a strong signal that we are not going to simply be satisfied with competing, but we are going to lead the industry in strategic media relations.”
“It’s important to understand that FH is really behind this whole effort and really transforming not only media relations within the firm but in the industry,” she added. “And I think others will follow.”
