LONDON—Katja Hall has been named group head of public affairs, a new position, at HSBC. The move follows the restructuring of HSBC’s global communications function into two separate functions, public affairs and employee insight and communications. Hall joins HSBC from the Confederation of British Industry, where she was deputy director-general. Prior to that was at the British Broadcasting Corp.

LONDON—Four Communications Group has appointed John Farrell, former president and CEO of Publicis Groupe’s specialised agencies and marketing services (SAMS) division, as its new chairman. In July 2015 Four secured a £10 million investment from BGF (Business Growth Fund), and since then it has made a number of acquisitions. Prior to his position at the Publicis Groupe, Farrell was president and CEO of D’Arcy Worldwide, and he is currently serving in non-executive positions for several advertising, media, marketing services and retail businesses including Albion, DWA, Adjust Your Set, Octopus, Cognifide and Acceleration.

LONDON—Citigate Dewe Rogerson has been selected by Boao Forum for Asia as the PR agency supporting partner of the November Boao Forum for Asia Financial Cooperation Conference in London. Citigate Dewe Rogerson will support the conference using teams in London, Beijing and Hong Kong. 

LONDON—Huntsworth has appointed Neil Jones as chief financial officer. Brian Porritt, Huntsworth’s interim finance director, will continue in that role until Jones joins in February. Jones is currently chief financial officer of ITE Group, the FTSE listed international exhibitions group, a position that he has held since 2008. Earlier, he was group finance director of Tarsus Group, a listed international media group. 

LONDON—Real estate consultancy Knight Frank has brought in Teneo Group consultancies StockWell and Blue Rubicon following a competitive pitch. The firms will work as a joint team to provide media and digital support around Knight Frank's Global Cities: Report 2016. The work will be headed by Blue Rubicon director Charles Stewart-Smith, who is reporting to head of corporate communications Alice Mitchell.

LONDON—Good Relations has won a new brief with train operating company c2c to develop an integrated communications campaign that maximises awareness around the launch of c2c’S new 2015 timetable. Good Relations will be working to build awareness, drive understanding and motivate passengers to find out how their trains are changing so they can adapt their journeys