SAN FRANCISCO — Edelman’s social business strategist Michael Brito is departing the firm after four years to join W2O as group director of content & engagement.

Brito, SVP of social business strategy, joined Edelman in 2009 in its San Francisco office. He counseled clients on delivering social business, content strategy and community management -- as well as how to scale these programs globally. He reported into Mary Corcoran, head of Edelman's Digital West operation.

Brito will join San Francisco-based W2O in November as group lead for the firm's content & engagement practice which includes a heavy emphasis on social business.  

"We are definitely looking to add social business people that can more effectively move it from theory to practice on behalf of our clients," an Edelman spokesperson told the Holmes Report. 

Brito, whose last day is tomorrow, was a part of Edelman’s $22 million, 150-person West Coast digital team. This month, he's releasing his second book Your Brand: The Next Media Company. 

This marks the third high-profile departure from Edelman digital in recent months. Marshall Manson, Edelman’s digital MD in EMEA, quit for rival firm Ogilvy in August. At the same time, Edelman’s global mobile MD Marcus Dyer left.