Account Director/Vice President

Changing tracks after 16 years at Burson - here is Marta Karlqvist's new job. Published: 19 August 2026, 02:45 Photo: Press As CEO, she has led several mergers and transformations, and made Burson a player to be reckoned with. Now Marta Karlqvist leaves the WPP agency for a Swedish agency group: Aura. "I have always thrived best close to the business and the customers and enjoy the entrepreneurial," she says to Resumé. In the spring, Marta Karlqvist announced that she is leaving Burson after more than 16 years, most recently in the role of head of growth in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and chair of the board in the Summer offer! Read Resumé for 2 months at no cost. SEK 0 for 2 months, thereafter a 20% discount for one year with a commitment period of 12 months. Thereafter, the subscription renews at the regular price (SEK 6,995) with annual renewal and a 12-month commitment period. Cancel the subscription at any time, and it will end after the agreed commitment period. Resumé. * Industry knowledge and environmental monitoring - news, tools and analysis in one place * All content - unlimited access to the site, podcasts and video * Databases - facts and measurements that lead to better business * Toolboxes - practical tips and support in everyday work * The sharpest experts - interviews with Swedish and international profiles * Resumé Insight - exclusive analysis letter every week Do you want to pay as a private individual or as a company? Choose payment method *Required fields Resumé is part of Bonnier News.

UK people News in brief (18 august, 2026). People news and moves at M&C Saatchi, Grayling, Cirkle, Burson, Teneo, MHP, Havas Red, and Ogilvy. LONDON - M&C Saatchi's UK group chief strategy officer Gen Kobayashi has left the business after just over a year in the role, as the agency returns to divisional leadership across its specialisms. Kobayashi, who joined from Weber Shandwick, will not be replaced, with UK strategy leadership now sitting within individual divisions. His exit follows the departures of global chief creative officers Rob Doubal and Laurence Thomson, as well as UK boss Jo Bacon in February and global CEO Zaid Al-Qassab in March. Kobayashi was previously UK and EMEA chief strategy officer at Weber Shandwick and has also held senior strategy roles at Engine Creative and Ogilvy. LONDON - Grayling UK CEO Heather Blundell has taken on leadership of sister agency Cirkle, as Accordience moves the two businesses into a more closely integrated operating model. Blundell, who joined Grayling from Ketchum in 2023, will oversee both agencies, although Cirkle will retain its own brand, culture, proposition and client portfolio. The move follows a period of leadership change at Cirkle: former CEO Ruth Kieran left last July to establish her own agency with former Cirkle B2B managing director Amy Searle, while managing director Kate Gibson also departed earlier this year. LONDON - Burson has named Helen Searle as EMEA chief growth officer and global growth partner, expanding her remit beyond the region. Searle has been EMEA chief client and growth officer since Burson was formed in 2024, but will now focus solely on growth, with her former client leadership responsibilities being separated out. Working with global head of growth Sam Lythgoe, Searle will continue to lead EMEA growth strategy while taking on responsibility for scaling growth capabilities globally and leading major multimarket pitches. She has spent more than 15 years within WPP, including senior roles at Hill & Knowlton and BCW. LONDON - Two senior leaders have left Burson's consumer and technology practices. Kate Hopper, managing director of consumer and brand, and David Vindel, EMEA technology practice leader, both announced their departures this month. Hopper spent more than a decade with the business, joining Hill & Knowlton from Ketchum in 2015 before becoming managing director of consumer packaged goods and later taking on her current role after the merger with BCW. Spain-based Vindel spent eight years with Hill & Knowlton and Burson, working with clients including Microsoft, Lenovo, Amazon Ads and Cellnex, and previously led Ketchum's European technology practice. LONDON - Former Porter Novelli EMEA chief executive Sarah Hargrave has joined sustainable water provision company EcoPure Waters as chief client partner. Hargrave led Porter Novelli across EMEA from 2024, having joined the agency in 2021. She was previously chief marketing officer at Unlimited and has held senior in-house communications roles at Pernod Ricard UK, the NHS and InterContinental Hotels Group. LONDON - Teneo has appointed former DGA Group partner Emma Walsh as a senior adviser in its financial communications practice. Walsh brings more than 15 years of corporate and financial communications experience and previously led corporate communications at Apple in Europe, covering financial announcements, competition issues and crisis management. She has also been a partner and head of financial situations at Milltown Partners and spent eight years at Brunswick, rising to director. LONDON - MHP Group has appointed former Lloyd's of London PR and media lead Jack Petch as a director in its insurance and risk practice. Petch reports to practice managing director Nathan Hambrook-Skinner after four years overseeing PR and media at Lloyd's. He previously worked in government communications as chief press officer at the Cabinet Office and senior press officer at the Department for Exiting the European Union. LONDON - Havas Red UK has made two senior hires as it expands its influencer and creative offering. Georgina Read joins as influence lead after more than 15 years in social and integrated communications, most recently at Golin Ketchum, where she worked with clients including Procter & Gamble. She will lead Havas Red's UK influence practice and support the rollout of its global influencer proposition, CRed. Claudia Warren has also relocated from Havas Red Sydney to London as creative strategist, working on strategy and campaign development for clients including Reckitt and Animal Friends Insurance. LONDON - Ogilvy UK head of social strategy Roisin Gray has left the agency after almost two years. Gray sat on Ogilvy's PR, social and influence leadership team and joined the agency after working at TikTok, where she moved from brand strategy into external marketing for consumer packaged goods and beauty advertisers across Europe. She previously worked at Mindshare on global communications and brand strategy for Unilever. Article tags News direct to your inbox The agency playbook. The PR industry's most comprehensive listing of firms from every region and specialty.