LONDON — FTI Consulting has appointed HSBC head of strategic engagement Paul Harris as a managing director in the financial services team within its Strategic Communications division in London.

Harris, who takes up his new role in January, devised the external affairs strategy for HSBC’s main strategic initiatives, including taking a prominent role in the bank’s sustainability and climate change communications.

He was previously regional head of communications for the Middle East and North Africa at HSBC. Before joining HSBC in 2013, he held senior communications roles at Goldman Sachs and Aviva and spent five years at Tulchan.

In his new role, Harris will work with FTI’s global financial services team to provide strategic communications advice to clients.

Harris is the latest in a series of senior hires into FTI’s strategic communications segment. Last month, Simon Lewis and Tim Hames joined the firm, as well as former minister Ed Vaizey as tech, media and telecoms advisor.

Neil Doyle, a senior managing director and head of UK financial services in the Strategic Communications segment at FTI Consulting, said: “Paul’s unique combination of in-house and agency experience will be of great value to our growing global client base. Paul has a proven ability to advise large institutions on complex, multi-stakeholder communications challenges at a time of significant change, and we’re excited to welcome him to FTI Consulting.”

Harris added: “I have worked closely with FTI Consulting for many years and have always been highly impressed with their breadth of understanding, depth of skill and considered judgement. I’m delighted to be joining what is the market-leading financial services franchise at such an important moment for both the firm and the financial services sector.”