LONDON—Lewis has been chosen to handle the PR for Exact, a global cloud business software provider targeting SMEs and accountancy practices. Lewis and Exact will work to increase brand awareness for Exact across EMEA with a specific local engagement in France. The firm will provide consultancy and content services and will manage the client's existing network of agencies to ensure consistency across all communications.

BRUSSELS—Burson-Marsteller has named Geoff McDonald, the former global VP of Hr for marketing, communications, sustainability and global talent, at Unilever as a senior advisor on corporate purpose and organisational change. McDonald spent 25 years with Unilever, working closely with CEO Paul Polman and Keith Weed, chief marketing, communications and sustainability officer, implementing the company’s growth strategy while reducing their environmental footprint and enhancing its social impact.

LONDON—W Communications has launched a new agency division, W Influencer, with the purpose of bringing the benefits of earned advocacy to a wider range of brands. W Influencer will adopt an approach based on the premise that too much influencer marketing is ineffective because it is paid for. Its focus is on recruiting genuine unpaid support from influencers wherever possible, in the belief that real influence derives from authority in context, not just popularity, or total reach.

LONDON—Porta Communications has appointed Charles Chichester as a new senior partner at Newgate Communications UK, leading its financial PR practice, reporting to Steffan Williams, group managing director. Chichester began his career working for Cazenove (now JPMorgan Cazenove) as a sell-side equity analyst, and later left investment banking to join Finsbury, where he was a partner. 

LONDON—Instinctif Partners has hired Ian Allison to its international engagement practice as strategic creative director. Working closely with global creative director Richard Pemberton, Allison will head up the design team, and joins from Bell Integrated Communications.

LONDON—Startupbootcamp Global has appointed Wildfire to build awareness of its position as a European-led accelerator

LONDON—Yorkshire-based integrated business-to-business marketing specialist Fox Agency has launched a London office to support its growing South East and international client list. Fox Agency London will be managed by director of online and content David Clare. Fox will also retain its main office in Leeds.