John Saunders has stepped down as global chief executive officer of PR agency FleishmanHillard. The Dubliner will take on the role of chairman from the start of October. Saunders, 66, was named president and CEO in 2015 after leading FH’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. His replacement as CEO, JJ Carter, 49, is currently global chief operating officer and president for the Omnicom agency’s Americas’ network.
Saunders’ relationship with FH began more than 37 years ago, when the agency he founded in Ireland became an affiliate. Later, he helped form FleishmanHillard Saunders (FHS) in Ireland. Last year, he became the first person in the communications industry to be conferred with an honorary doctor of philosophy degree from Dublin City University (DCU). He was based in the FH head office in St Louis but travelled widely worldwide.
Pride
“I look back on more than three decades at FleishmanHillard with pride and gratitude for the support of so many colleagues around the world and the trust that some of the world’s leading companies have placed in us,” Saunders said. “However, it’s now time for me to step back and spend more time with my family both in Dublin and in London and with my six young grandchildren whom I miss being so far away from,” he added.
Carter has been with FH since 2005 and has held various leadership roles. He previously oversaw the agency’s east and west regions in the US States along with Canada and Mexico, was general manager of one of the firm’s largest offices in San Francisco, global client relationship manager for one of the agency’s biggest multinational accounts, and he built on the firm’s experience to launch the agency’s global sports marketing practice.
FH’s Ireland office is run by Rhona Blake.
