NEW YORK, Dec. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Global public relations leader Porter Novelli announced that Brad MacAfee, senior partner and managing director of the agency's Atlanta office, has been appointed president, North America, effective January 1, 2014. In this role, MacAfee will be responsible for the growth, profitability and talent development of Porter Novelli's offices in the U.S. and Canada. He will continue leading the agency's successful Atlanta office.

"Brad has been with Porter Novelli for 13 years, and in that time has built our Atlanta office into one that delivers stellar client service while consistently being ranked one of the best places to work in the region," said Karen van Bergen, CEO, Porter Novelli. "He has made this happen through an unwavering commitment to talent. Brad is a staunch advocate for hiring top performers, providing them with training and support and ensuring they have opportunities to grow. In that environment, staff thrives, work exceeds expectations and businesses grow. I look forward to Brad bringing this way of doing business across our offices in the U.S. and Canada."

During his Porter Novelli tenure, MacAfee has served as Global Technology practice leader, interim managing director of the San Francisco and Chicago offices, and has been a member of the firm's diversity initiative. Today, MacAfee is a member of the agency's executive committee and talent advisory board, and serves as executive client leader for clients in the technology, health care and government sectors.

"I am honored to lead Porter Novelli's U.S. and Canadian operations, and am committed to ensuring that our efforts drive the success of our global strategic plan," said MacAfee. "The foundation for success at Porter Novelli is our exceptional talent who build the brilliant programs for which we're known. I am encouraging our managing directors to develop teams that think big, take risks and deliver strategy that exceeds the expectations of our clients and the market."

MacAfee is passionate about community commitment, and serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Georgia, the board of directors for Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation and the board of trustees for University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

A Chicago native, MacAfee earned a B.A. in telecommunications from Indiana University, Bloomington, before relocating to Atlanta to begin his public relations agency career.

Porter Novelli's other regional presidents include Sally Ward, president, EMEA; John Orme, president, Asia Pacific; and Karen Ovseyevitz, president, Latin America.

About Porter Novelli
Porter Novelli is one of the world's leading public relations agencies. With 90 offices in nearly 60 countries, Porter Novelli delivers best-in-class service to clients around the globe. As the agency that pioneered social marketing, Porter Novelli's heritage is grounded in influence - motivating people to change deeply ingrained behaviors that are rooted in cultural and social norms. This is achieved by identifying and activating against key insights that drive transformational change-- going beyond just "solving a problem". The result is greater than just influencing people - Porter Novelli makes them believe.

For additional information, please visit www.porternovelli.com. Porter Novelli is a part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc.

About Diversified Agency Services
Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), manages Omnicom's holdings in a variety of marketing communications disciplines. DAS includes over 200 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

Contact:
Catherine Sullivan
Catherine.Sullivan@porternovelli.com
212-601-8315

SOURCE Porter Novelli