Ketchum, Inc. announced the election of nine new partners. Ketchum partners are responsible for ensuring the firm provides world-class public relations services to its clients while offering a high-quality workplace experience for employees. Four of the nine new partners are from offices outside the United States, including the U.K., Italy, Russia and China. This year's partner group includes three colleagues who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to clients combined with leading an area of expertise. They are: Amy McCarthy, director, New York Healthcare Practice; Jo-ann Robertson, managing director, U.K. Corporate & Public Affairs Practice, based in London; and Julie Schumacher, director, New York Food & Wellness Practice. Reflecting the company's great progress towards building a global presence that is one of the broadest in the business, this year's partner group includes four individuals who play a key role in leading an office from four different regions. The four are: Serguey Chumin, co-founder and financial director, Ketchum Maslov, based in Moscow; Andrea Cornelli, CEO, Ketchum Italy, based in Milan; Simeon Mellalieu, general manager, Ketchum Hong Kong; and Jamey Peters, associate director, Ketchum South, based in Dallas. Further illustrating the firm's deep commitment to operational excellence, this year Ketchum added two new partners from this area. They are: Amanda Kowal Kenyon, director of organizational development, based in New York and Craig Mersky, general counsel and secretary, based in New York.

Ketchum, Inc. announced the recent appointments of digital hires across several of its U.S. offices. Dean McBeth recently joined as SVP, digital and content strategy, in the New York office; James Lin has been appointed VP, digital strategist, in the San Francisco office; Amit Wadehra has been hired as VP, digital strategist, in Chicago; and Louis Tehan will serve as a digital strategist in New York. Dean McBeth is a seasoned digital strategist with 16 years of experience in content creation and execution, emerging technology solutions, integrated marketing and social media. His work spans a wide array of vertical industries from tech to government to action sports. In his newly created role, McBeth is integral in driving Ketchum's 24/7 approach to digital strategy, which essentially delivers content creation and community management in real-time. Most recently, McBeth worked as director of digital and integrated creative at Barton F. Graf, where he built out the digital team and designed digital, social and communications strategies for a range of clients including Unilever Foods, Little Caesar's, Dish Network and KAYAK. Prior to that, McBeth served as senior strategist on the renowned Old Spice campaign for Wieden+Kennedy, where he created and executed global digital strategy. With more than 15 years of business development, marketing, and public relations experience in both B2B and consumer environments, James Lin joins Ketchum from Saga Technologies, an enterprise child abuse tracking system deployed by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, where he worked as a business development director. In this capacity, Lin conducted all lead-generation and sales activities, in addition to planning and executing marketing and partnership initiatives. In his role as VP and digital strategist, Lin will provide counsel to Ketchum Digital clients, developing strategies and tactics and managing campaigns to help use social platforms to spark positive conversation, engage with online influencers, achieve growth metrics and drive advocacy. Amit Wadehra joins the company from Allstate Insurance. During his tenure there, Wadehra held a variety of roles, including technology planning analyst, corporate strategist, and social and digital media strategist. Most recently, he led the development of the social and digital elements of Allstate's 2011 College Football Bowl Championship Series, created integrated marketing strategies for Allstate's social assets, and established Allstate's social listening command center. In his role as VP and digital strategist for Ketchum, Wadehra will apply his extensive experience to clients including ConAgra, Kimberly Clark and National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Louis Tehan, who most recently worked at Edelman Digital as senior project manager for Ben & Jerry's and Dove, will be responsible for digital strategy across several of Ketchum Digital's New York client accounts. Tehan has expertise in developing user flow and user experience documentation for complete Web and microsite builds, as well as executing SEO/SEM and rich media banner campaigns.

Ketchum, Inc. announced that it has appointed Julie Ferriot to the newly created position of global director of Ketchum Social Responsibility (KSR). Ferriot will expand the firm's KSR program, continue to engage employees in volunteerism efforts, and oversee Ketchum's four-year global pro bono partnership with Room to Read. Ferriot's previous role at Ketchum was VP and management supervisor in the Corporate Practice of Ketchum West's San Francisco office.