Global Advisory Board

Rachel Friend

Executive Chair Harvard UK

A senior communications professional, business advisor, coach and mentor, with over 25 years in both large agencies and in-house. A results-driven, growth focussed, transformative agency leader. Expertise in leading boards and teams with a collaborative approach, focussing on people, client and new business strategy, DE&I, innovation and acquisitions to deliver year on year growth and highly prized Agency of the Year accolades.

Prior to joining Harvard, Rachel was CEO of W and prior to that CEO of Weber Shandwick in London. Rachel was Chair of the PRCA 2020-2022 and a founding mentor of the WiPR mentoring scheme for almost a decade.

Michelle Hutton

Global Chief Client and Growth Officer for BCW

A member of BCW’s Executive Committee and global board Michelle is responsible for strengthening BCW’s client-first ethos and working with global and regional leadership to advance its new business culture.

She moved to this role after spending more than 13 years at Edelman, most recently as Vice Chair, Client Solutions, Asia-Pacific, and before that, she was CEO, Australia, Asia-Pacific Brand Chair, where she built a team of leaders across creative, strategy and digital. Prior to her career at Edelman, Michelle spent 19 years at Hill & Knowlton in Australia and Asia.

Michelle was PR Jury President at the 2019 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. She has a strong interest in supporting the development of female leaders. Michelle has Lived and worked internationally, is skilled in Digital Strategy, Stakeholder Analysis, Corporate Social Responsibility, Integrated Marketing and Brands.

Denise Kaufmann

Global Client Partner, Ketchum, USA

Denise returned to the US in 2018 having led the London office as Managing Director since 2013. Under her leadership Denise introduced an integrated approach, which has served as a model for the larger Ketchum network. During her tenure in London, the office was consistently rated as one of the best places to work in the UK and won the PRCA’s International Consultancy of the Year and CorpComms Magazine’s Agency of the Decade.

Throughout the course of her Ketchum career spanning three continents, Denise has run several of the firm’s largest global client engagements, including spending 10 months seconded with a client’s in-house team. In her current role she is responsible for developing strategies focused on client growth and satisfaction.

Nancy Ruscheinski

Chief Operating Officer, Zeno Group

An accomplished leader and communications executive with more than 30 years of experience winning and growing business, creating high-impact marketing campaigns, building and inspiring teams, cultivating strong client relationships, managing profitable operations and creating and launching innovative products, practices and methodologies.

Nancy joined Zeno Group in 2016 as the agency’s first global Chief Operating Officer. Zeno is a global integrated communications agency born from PR, with more than 500 employees in 20+ offices around the world. Prior to Zeno Nancy worked in a variety of capacities spanning more than 25 years at Edelman, Zeno’s sister agency and the world’s largest public relations firm.

James Wright

Global Chairman, Havas PR Global Collective & Group CEO, Havas Creative ANZ

Powered by Undeniable Passion, Fearless Ambition & IncREDible Ideas – Global Chairman, Havas PR Global Collective & Group CEO, Havas Creative ANZ James has put content, social and predictive data at the core of the Group’s Merged Media offering.

James built and launched the Merged Media agency model in 2019, redefining what’s possible through PR, social and brand experience by operating at the pace, and in the ways, of today’s consumer. In addition to leading the 40 agencies that comprise the Havas PR Global Collective, James also runs Havas Red offices in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Middle East and Saudi Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia.