WASHINGTON, DC — Continuing its spate of executive shuffling, FTI Consulting’s strategic communications segment has appointed five leaders to senior managing director — the company’s top job outside the c-suite.  They are:

  • Giles Barrie, who has been promoted to senior MD of FTI’s London property sector team. Most recently co-head of the team, Barrie joined FTI in 2013 after serving as editor-in-chief of Property Week.

  • Alex Deane, who has been named senior MD of the firm’s London public affairs practice. He most recently served as the practice’s UK head. Deane’s experience is rooted in politics, having served as both David Cameron and Tim Collins’ chief of staff during their terms as shadow secretaries of state for education.

  • Christine DiBartolo (pictured), who has been named senior MD of the Chicago-based corporate reputation practice she helped lead as a senior member with a focus on CEO communications and corporate positioning. Her experience includes being an aide to former US Attorney General Janet Reno and Department of Justice civil rights division spokesperson.

  • Myron Marlin, who has been a senior member of FTI’s Washington public affairs and financial communications practices. A former practicing attorney, Marlin has more than 20-years experience working with clients in high-stakes litigation or financial transactions, facing a crisis or facing government inquiry.

  • Robert Skeffington, who has served as managing director of the group’s Sydney practice since 2014. His focus is working with senior executives on public affairs and business strategy.

Mark McCall, the segment’s global leader, said the promotions are part of the group’s commitment to investing in next-gen leaders. “These individuals represent the vast industry expertise, interdisciplinary experience and geographical breadth that our clients seek in the face of major financial, regulatory and reputational challenges and opportunities,” he said.

The promotions are the latest in a series of significant changes within the comms segment, which have been rolling out over the last six or so months. In December, FTI announced the closing of its Beijing office, which had a strategic communications unit, putting all its China operations under its Shanghai operation. Earlier last year, Oleg Leonov, who was FTI’s head of Russia, bought the firm’s Moscow operation. FTI now works with that office as an affiliate.

There also have been significant leadership changes in the group. McCall, who had been COO and head of Americas of FTI’s strategic communications segment, stepped into his current role in September after Ed Reilly moved aside as CEO.

Reilly was the fifth FTI senior leader who has or will be stepping down from their most recent or current roles with the strategic communications firm. In July, FTI confirmed the pending departures of Gulf head John Hobday, Asia-Pacific lead Paul Marriott (for a major role at Macquarie Bank) and veteran exec Jon Aarons.

In early November, FTI tapped Brian Kennedy to lead the strategic communications segment in the Americas. That move came two weeks after the company reported a 5.1% lift in communications segment revenue during Q3 – welcome news after bleak second quarter results.