Former Rowland Company director Tari Hibbitt is to join Edelman as
deputy managing director and head of its nine-strong technology
division.
She replaces John Farmer who takes early retirement, at the age of 49,
next month.
Farmer, who joined Edelman when his company JFPR merged with the agency
in June last year, told PR Week: ‘My earn-out finished at the end of
November so obviously there was a review of the situation and I decided
to move on.
‘I have grown the technology division from practically zero to nearly 25
per cent of UK turnover, now Tari has to pick up the reins,’ he added.
Hibbitt is one of two deputy managing directors who have been appointed
by Edelman managing director Abel Hadden in an effort to ‘spread the
load’. The other is Pat Roberts, formerly the agency’s business group
director, for corporate and business-to-business.
Hibbitt plans to expand the technology team, which currently handles
clients such as Texas Instruments and software company Xsoft.
Hirs first task will be to hire an account director to head UK public
relations following the departure of Maxine Ambrose to set up her own
hi-tech consultancy last month.
Hibbitt quit Rowland in July, following a management shake-up by former
chief executive Philip Dewhurst (PR Week 21 July).
She confirmed that she had had talks with several other agencies, but
explained: ‘Edelman knew why they wanted me and they were very open. It
was a logical move’.
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