The agency has swooped for GCI associate director Ben Padfield, who joined this week as senior associate director leading the mobile, media and entertainment team. He will be working with clients including LG, Yahoo, TomTom and Intel.
H&K has also hired Pippa Strutt to head up a new four-strong public sector team. It will be based in the consumer division and has been planned to house its major Learning and Skills Council client. Strutt joins from the charity Build Africa where she was director of comms and fundraising.
Tesco UK press manager Caroline Woffenden joins H&K as an account director focusing on retail clients. Kaizo account directors Karen Thomas and Sarah Trombetta have also been brought on board in the same role, and Consolidated Communications PRO Daniela Pinto joins as an account manager.
The new hires take the headcount within the consumer team to more than 60 consultants, with the division overseen by head of consumer marketing Richard Millar.
Last week, PRWeek reported that Stuart Smith, the former Edelman UK CEO, is to join on 1 November as chairman of corporate and healthcare UK.
Separately... H&K has opened an office in the Czech Republic. The agency has taken over the responsibilities from GCI/Grey Group and will operate out of Prague under the name GCI/Hill & Knowlton.
