LONDON—WE Communications has been appointed as the UK communications agency for Capgemini UK, a leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing services. Working across the UK business, WE’s primary focus will be storytelling, media relations and content creation. The firm will also be working to promote the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index each month.

PARIS—AXA has named Jad Ariss, currently CEO of AXA Middle East & Africa, group head of public affairs and corporate responsibility. He will report in his new role to George Stansfield, group general secretary and a member of the management committee of the AXA Group. Ariss started his career as a management consultant at McKinsey, before joining the AXA Group in 1995 as chief financial officer of AXA Global Risks. He has held investor relations and other management positions.

LONDON—Virgin Active, a leading health club, has appointed global communications agency M&C Saatchi PR as its retained strategic communications partner following a competitive pitch. Working with Virgin Active’s new managing director Robert Cook, M&C Saatchi PR has been tasked to up the health club’s communications game with a balance of ‘red hot’ social, consumer and corporate PR.

LONDON—Phil Riggins has joined Leidar to further strengthen its brand and reputation insight practice. Leidar joins from Brunswick where he was a partner advising clients on reputation, brand and issues management; he also co-led Brunswick’s insight practice. At Leidar, he will help clients understand and manage the intersection between brand and reputation.

LONDON—The L'Occitane Group, a global cosmetics and wellbeing products retailer, has appointed Threepipe to manage the UK paid search account for the Erborian beauty brand. Threepipe will support the full Erborian range. In addition, electronic learning toys company VTech has appointed Threepipe to manage PR and social campaign activity for the VTech and LeapFrog brands in the UK. T

LONDON—FleishmanHillard Fishburn has promoted Steph Bailey to managing director of its corporate practice and appointed Michael Hartt from Burson-Marsteller as senior director and partner. Hartt, an expert in international affairs, earlier worked at Edelman in the firm’s Washington, DC, office. At the same time, Michelle Di Leo will be leaving FleishmanHillard Fishburn at the end of June to take up a new role at In-House Communications

DUBAI—M&C Saatchi PR is opening its UAE office, the latest expansion in the agency’s international growth. The PR team will bolster M&C Saatchi’s existing business in the UAE, offering clients across the region a range of fully integrated creative communications. Appointed to lead the firm’s offices in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi is Amy Brill. The agency has also added Abu Dhabi Motors, the BMW Group Importer in the Middle East. M&C Saatchi PR will be responsible for handling publicity and content creation for the dealership’s Rolls-Royce brand.

LONDON—Simon Mowbray has re-joined Richmond Towers Communications as food and drink director. The former newspaper and trade journalist returns to the agency following five years providing consultancy to a number of leading agencies, suppliers and fmcg brands, including General Mills, Pernod Ricard, British Soft Drinks Association, Mary Berry’s Foods and Ella’s Kitchen.

LONDON—Atomic, the consumer and tech division of Grayling, has been appointed by new rail ticket retailer ticketclever.com  as its retained PR partner. The appointment follows a launch project in which Atomic drove potential users to ticketclever's website. Atomic will continue to build brand awareness and drive traffic to the website.

LONDON—Fflur Sheppard, formerly of B&Q, is joining Beattie’s corporate, B2B and crisis management team. Sheppard, who is coming on board as an associate director, started her career in the corporate affairs department at Tesco before moving to B&Q.

LONDON—Technology PR agency Wildfire has been appointed as strategic PR partner for Kollective, a global provider of video delivery solutions to international brands including HSBC, PayPal, Nestle and Unilever. Wildfire's remit is to build awareness of Kollective in the UK and USA by promoting the benefits of video communication in building an engaged workforce,

LONDON—Milk & Honey PR has been appointed by loyalty specialist Paytronix to launch its UK operations. Milk & Honey will handle all UK trade and executive communications for Paytonix, a leader in the US market.