SAN FRANCISCO: After a year with Ketchum as associate director of its global tech practice, Ryan Donovan is leaving to join Hewlett-Packard as PR director for HP Services.
HP Services provides business and IT services, including outsourcing and consulting. Donovan will report to Jeff Thomas, VP of brand and communications for HP Services.
"HP is in a fascinating point in its history," said Donovan, who worked out of Ketchum's San Francisco office. "To be part of the company's transformation is going to be pretty exciting."
Donovan said this is his first corporate PR position after spending 14 years on the agency side. Prior to joining Ketchum, Donovan was a VP with Text 100, overseeing new-business development in North America.
Donovan will lead PR efforts for HP Services. A recent Gartner study ranked HP among the top 10 companies offering business and IT services, although its market share is not as strong as that of IBM or EDS. But with IDC predicting the $68.5 billion IT outsourcing industry to grow to $100 billion by 2007, HP is clearly striving to enhance its share of the business and IT services market.
"This is a great move for him," said Paul Rand, director of Ketchum's global technology practice. "It's an exceptional opportunity. I couldn't in good conscious tell him not to take it." Rand said he is actively looking for someone to fill Donovan's position as associate director.
