NEW YORK, May 31, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Global purpose communication consultancy Porter Novelli today announced it has hired Margaret-Ann Cole, Executive Vice President, Global Talent Leader and Sandy Skees, Executive Vice President, Global Lead of Innovation and Impact. Cole is based in New York City and is responsible for leading Porter Novelli’s global talent function, including attracting, retaining and growing best-in-class communication consultants. Skees is based in San Francisco and will serve as head of Innovation and Impact, formerly the Technology practice, and is responsible for helping innovation clients find, live and tell their purpose to drive growth.
“These are two outstanding professionals with deep expertise in their respective fields. Together, they will help accelerate Porter Novelli as a global purpose communication consultancy,” said Brad MacAfee, CEO of Porter Novelli. “Margaret-Ann and Sandy are deeply committed to this organization’s purpose, and aim to grow our people, business and help our clients thrive.”
Cole comes to Porter Novelli after three years as Managing Director and Human Resource Disruptor at Accenture. She is an innovative leader with a demonstrated track record managing organizations to peak performance, unleashing the potential of talent and enabling people to meet individual goals while also delivering excellent client service. Prior to Accenture, Cole served as North America Career Management Practice Leader for Right Management. Throughout her career, Cole has been recognized and applauded for her unique experience and perspective in the areas of human resources, leadership, core business operations, and workforce transformation.
“I am thrilled to be part of an organization like Porter Novelli,” said Cole. “Our mission is to work with our clients to find, live and tell their authentic ambition to make a positive impact on society. Porter Novelli has given me the opportunity to architect approaches that elevate employee experience and employee engagement, allowing our own family of employees to have an impact on business performance and society.”
Returning to Porter Novelli after 12 years, Skees previously led the Sustainability practice at BSI, a global environment, health, safety and sustainability consulting firm. Her expertise lies in working with companies to drive sustainability and corporate social responsibility innovation, delivering business performance and a positive impact. Prior to BSI, Skees served as Managing Director for Fenton Communications. She brings more than 25 years of consulting and strategic communications experience to Porter Novelli, with a background in enterprise technology and B2B communications on both the agency and client side.
“It is an honor and privilege to be back at Porter Novelli – an organization that is leading the way when it comes to helping clients and brands make an impact,” said Skees. “There is clear opportunity to combine my experience in environmental, social, and governance consulting with Porter Novelli’s capabilities to drive deep engagements with myriad companies who aspire to change the world.”
Both Cole and Skees are members of the global leadership team and report directly to MacAfee.
About Porter Novelli
Porter Novelli is a global public relations agency born from the idea that the art of communication can advance society. More than 45 years ago, we opened our doors – and people’s eyes and minds – for brands driven to make a positive impact. Today, we believe that organizations must find, live and tell their purpose in order to thrive. Those companies will motivate action, secure loyalty and encourage advocacy — all in service to a healthier bottom line. Porter Novelli is a part of the Omnicom Public Relations Group.
About Omnicom Public Relations Group
Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,300 public relations professionals in more than 370 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group delivers for clients through a relentless focus on talent, continuous pursuit of innovation and a culture steeped in collaboration. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.