F-H moves to beef up UK healthcare team

The news comes in the week the agency moved to bolster its healthcare team with the appointment of a brace of senior consultants: Daniel Kent and Cristina Benson have both joined this week and take on European responsibilities.

The pair arrive in the wake of the exit of UK healthcare MD Michael Smeeth, who left after just six months (PRWeek, 14 October). F-H also lost its European health chief Patrick Krol in July after only three months (PRWeek, 22 July).

F-H is continuing its search for a permanent UK and a European healthcare MD – but said it was finding suitable candidates  hard to come by.

'We're speaking to a couple of people but experienced healthcare staff are like gold dust at the moment,' said F-H regional director for the UK and South Africa Kevin Bell.

'We won't be appointing anybody until the new year.'

Kent joins from Hill & Knowlton where he was an associate director, working with clients including AstraZeneca – for UK corporate activity in oncology.

Benson was previously at Manning Selvage & Lee in the US, before moving to London as associate director for three years.

She resurfaces at F-H after a year's maternity break and will work for clients including Novartis.

Jen Stevenson has also joined F-H's London healthcare team as an account manager.

Stevenson has relocated from the agency's office in Sydney, Australia.