LONDON — W has hired Adam Mack for the newly-created role of UK CEO, reporting to founder Warren Johnson with whom he used to work at Freuds.

Mack joins the fast-growing independent PR firm after departing Weber Shandwick, where he was chief strategy officer, last year. Before his six-year stint with Weber Shandwick, Mack spent five years at Freuds, after starting his PR career at Porter Novelli.

Mack will lead W's UK operations, which includes its acquisitions of Newcastle's Glue PR and jewellery specialist Facets PR. Johnson, who founded W in 2008, will focus more of his attention on growing W's global footprint, particularly in Asia where its Singapore office continues to expand.

“After six years in a network I’m excited to be joining such an agile, dynamic agency and I’m proud that Warren has asked me to help lead such a successful team,” Mack told the Holmes Report.

“My focus is on building our resources, talent and thinking to position us for the future, ensuring clients get the benefits of an entrepreneurial, fast-moving, creative agency delivering big agency insight and capabilities. I’ve always been a strategist and my view is that everyone across the agency should have strong strategic skills. And I want our digital, social and data strategy to be best-in-class – there’s a huge opportunity to grow digital and social revenue.”

Mack's arrival follows W's hire of Mark Perkins as the agency's first ECD in November.