AMSTERDAM—Ahold has named Marike Westra as senior vice president of group communications, and will be responsible for internal and external communications, investor relations, and corporate affairs, reporting to Ahold CEO Dick Boer. Prior to joining Ahold, Marike worked at Philips in both its lighting and healthcare sectors, most recently as global vp, integrated communications and previously as vp, corporate communications based out of the Netherlands. Before joining Philips, Marike was global director, corporate relations at Elsevier and global head of strategic communications at Excerpta Medica Medical Communications.

STOCKHOLM—Volvo Car Corporation has named Duncan Forrester as vice president, product and brand communications, a new role that brings together product and core value communications, global social media and digital lifestyle communications, and cars and technical support under one team. Forrester had previously been named director of global social media for Volvo in Sweden.

LONDON—Ogilvy Public Relations has added Amanda Kiddle as director from Ogilvy PR Australia. She brings 16 years of consumer marketing experience supporting brands and services, most recently as practice director, leading global consumer and digital lifestyle brands such as Motorola, Microsoft, Canon and Kimberly-Clark. Prior to joining Ogilvy, Kiddle held senior consultancy positions across a number of central London agencies including Bell Pottinger, Hill & Knowlton, Euro RSCG and Edelman.

LONDON—Caran d’Ache, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of pencils, fine arts materials and luxury writing instruments, has selected Cohn & Wolfe as its first UK agency partner. Cohn & Wolfe will assume responsibility for building brand awareness and engagement within the UK consumer media.

ZURICH—Gabi Badertscher, previously senior public affairs consultant, has been appointed the new manager of the public affairs division and a member of the executive board of Burson-Marsteller Switzerland. Prior to joining Burson-Marsteller, Badertscher worked in various managerial positions in the airline, healthcare, education and training and financial sectors and was a member of parliament of the canton of Thurgau.

LONDON—Beattie Communications has launched a dedicated Linkedin marketing team as part of Beattie’s Only Social Media business. The Beattie Communications team is offering Linkedin marketing, Linkedin communications and Linkedin advertising, as well as counsel on the development of follower networks; the monitoring of rival brands; and mining of the Linkedin platform to create databases for email marketing.

LONDON—Mace, the international consultancy and construction company, has appointed Fishburn Hedges to support its communication with government and industry. According to Cath Green, director of marketing and communications, “This is a massive year for us with the Olympics, the completion of The Shard and the opening of the Emirates Air Line cable-car across The Thames. Fishburn Hedges will be helping us to share insights from these projects and the many others we lead around the world.”

LONDON—Former Forster Communications and Ruder Finn consultant Nick Osborne has joined the corporate practice at College Hill. Osborne is also a former senior strategic communications adviser to United Voice, one of Australia's leading trade unions, and has worked with international clients in the healthcare, agribusiness and food and retail sectors.

LONDON—Lewis PR has expanded its digital roster by winning a creative campaign for children’s publishing brand Far Far Away Books and Media. Led from the Lewis headquarters in London, the new account will see the firm developing the brand’s website, as well as handling the social media and App development around the Far Far Away brand and all new titles.

FARNHAM, SURREY—Technology PR consiltancy Whiteoaks has expanded its international public relations network with local partners in India and South East Asia, France and Germany. Whiteoaks recently added Communication Wave in Korea and Mutual PR in India to its Whiteoaks International Network and supplemented its existing territories with the addition of 3d Communication in France and Fortis PR in Germany.

LONDON—Interserve PLC, a support services and construction company, has appointed Capital MSL to assist with its ongoing corporate and financial communications, and Lexington Communications for its government relations work.

LONDON—Mobile virtual network enabler Sisteer has appointed Whoosh PR. Dominique Theriez, marketing director at Sisteer, says Whoosh’s ability to drive the news agenda in global B2B markets was key to Sisteer’s decision to appoint the agency.