SAN DIEGO: Medtronic’s Julia Fuller is joining Ford Hutman Media as EVP and reuniting with former colleague Rachel Ford Hutman, who founded the company.
A decade ago, the two spent the early part of their careers at Canale Communications, a San Diego agency that managed comms for life sciences companies.
The two later joined Pure Communications, which also handled life sciences communications and was acquired in 2016 by W2O Group, now called Real Chemistry, a global health-focused agency network.
Ford Hutman then joined IBM as director of external relations before founding FHM in February 2020. The firm focuses on life sciences.
Fuller worked at Medtronic, a global medical device company, as the leader of internal and external communications for the cardiovascular diagnostics and services operating unit.
“I have been so impressed with what [Rachel] has built with Ford Hutman over the last two years,” said Fuller, who is based in Portland, Oregon. “She really has built their capabilities over the last several years and their roster of clients is very innovative and interesting.”
FHM’s clients have included Medtronic, childcare app Illumine and Shorla Pharma, according to the company’s website.
“Julia’s in-house expertise and agency experience is a perfect fit for our growing client roster,” Ford Hutman said in a statement. “She has been in our clients’ shoes and overcome the same challenges. I couldn’t be more excited to have her join us.”
Fuller said a challenge in her new role will be the competition among life sciences communications agencies, including former employer Real Chemistry.
Both women “have very strong experience” with in-house communication “which is something not a lot of agencies have,” Fuller said. “A lot of people spend their careers at agencies, which is great, but I think one of the really critical things about being in-house is you learn how the client thinks, how they feel, what their challenges are and what their opportunities are.”
Fuller said she is looking forward to working with FHM’s emerging digital health and biotech clients.
“I think the really exciting part is how do you work with them to tell that story as they emerge from stealth mode,” Fuller said. “I’m really looking forward to working with Rachel again.”
