Judith Cranford, currently an independent consultant in Washington DC, will take up the London-based role in January 2008.
Cranford is a former CEO of the National Osteoporosis Foundation in the US and has been head of healthcare and client services director at Ruder Finn.
MS&L has also appointed former Edelman healthcare chief Nigel Breakwell as interim head of healthcare to develop European business until Cranford starts. Breakwell’s position will be reviewed in January.
Breakwell joins the agency just months after launching his healthcare shop NB Consulting (PRWeek,
9 March). The former Edelman UK healthcare director and joint CEO left Beattie Communications last autumn after only a year as director of healthcare.
MS&L has acted quickly to find a new head of healthcare to replace Peter Carr, who left the agency in August after nine months in the role (PRWeek, 21 September).
Carr’s team had been run on an interim basis by Monique da Silva, global head of healthcare for MS&L, who is usually based in the US.
‘These hires are part of our commitment to reinforce our experience in the healthcare sector,’ said MS&L CEO Stuart Wilson.
MS&L’s healthcare clients include Bayer Healthcare, Lilly and Proctor & Gamble.
