MADRID — Hotwire has appointed Ludi García as the new managing director of its Madrid office. García joins Hotwire after 14 years at Ketchum, where she was most recently associate director and head of the agency’s digital and technology practices in Spain.

She succeeds Yashim Zavaleta, who left Hotwire in April this year after 11 years with the firm and is now working as an independent consultant in Madrid.

García has worked with clients across technology, healthcare, corporate and consumer, including Microsoft, P&G, Ikea, McDonalds, Pfizer, Google, Amazon, Symantec/Norton, Cisco, Nokia, Philips and Canon. She is also the president of the Commission of Branded Content & Native Advertising at the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).

Hotwire COO and president EMEA & ANZ Alex MacLaverty said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome someone of Ludi’s experience and reputation to lead our Spanish office. Her style of leadership, personality and digital background are perfectly suited to the ambitions we have for the Madrid team. She joins a talented office that has seen strong growth in the past few years and I’m hugely excited to work with her on the next stage of our business in Spain.”

García added: “I see a great opportunity with Hotwire to contribute to its growth and to establish the business as a true challenger to the existing Spanish PR community. Working with a borderless team that works closely together both in country and around the world was a major reason for me to accept this position.”