ROME—Healthcare and crisis communications expert Rossella Carrara has joined APCO Worldwide as deputy managing director of its Rome office. Carrara previously served as head of Burson-Marsteller’s healthcare communication practice and issues and crisis management practice in Italy and was also EMEA deputy healthcare practice chair. She has worked with clients such as Novartis, Sandoz, Covidien, Medtronic, Lilly and the Italian OTC Producers Association and was responsible for coordinating the communication around the Costa Concordia crisis.

LONDON—Danish footwear and leather accessory designer ECCO has appointed Ketchum as its sole UK press office agency. Following ECCO’s Oxford Street flagship store launch, organised by Ketchum in September, the agency has been appointed to handle all UK consumer communications, including influencer and blogger engagement programmes. The Ketchum team has been charged with building brand awareness and elevating the ECCO’s style credentials.

BERGEN OP ZOOM—Henkel Transport & Metal, a strategic business unit within the company’s adhesive technologies group, has chosen EMG to spearhead the brand PR strategy activities of its European automotive business. EMG has been brought on board to strengthen Henkel’s brand awareness within the automotive industry in Europe, working on a media relations strategy built around a storytelling PR concept based on Henkel’s strategic business priorities and key initiatives. 

MUNICH—Schwartz PR has won the PR account for Weebly, one of the most popular platforms for webhosting and website building. With opening a European headquarters in Berlin, Weebly plans to expand its business on the German market, and Schwartz PR supports the San Francisco-based startup with product and corporate communications following a launch event in Berlin.

LONDON—Amnesty International has awarded Commetric a contract for multi-market media analysis and evaluation to aid communications planning for human rights campaigns.