DALLAS—Ketchum has named Sean Fitzgerald director of its North America corporate and public affairs practice. Fitzgerald, a 15-year Ketchum veteran, most recently served as executive vice president of the firm’s Greater China operations, based in Shanghai. He recently relocated to Dallas to assume his new role.

Fitzgerald will be responsible for growing, diversifying and promoting the practice's service offerings and tools, splitting his time between building the practice and serving key clients as a senior counselor. He will report to Barri Rafferty, senior partner and CEO of North America, and Hilary Hanson McKean, partner and managing director of Ketchum's global practices.

He also will work closely with Rod Cartwright, partner and director of the global corporate & public affairs practice, and Jamey Peters, partner and director of the Dallas office.

For the past three years, Fitzgerald's work in Greater China included the integration of the China operations into the global Ketchum network, as well as working with the Greater China leadership team to refocus the business, with a specific emphasis on digital and social media, enhanced crisis and issues management, corporate reputation and strategic consumer outreach.

Prior to his appointment in China, Fitzgerald spent 12 years in Ketchum's Los Angeles office, where he began as office director and was named managing director of Ketchum West in 2004.