Former European Managing Director at Collectively Will Operationalize and Scale the Firm’s Influencer and Studios Offerings
NEW YORK—Edelman has named Fiona Hughes head of Business Development and Operations for its Influencer Marketing and Edelman Studios offerings, effective immediately. Hughes, a 20-plus year veteran of the communications and marketing industry, will be responsible for operationalizing, scaling, and establishing a uniform approach to influencer marketing and content creation and distribution across the firm’s global network. Hughes will be based in London.
“Consumers want valued content, delivered at the speed of news and from trusted sources. This need requires us to strengthen our muscles in the influencer and content creation spaces,” said Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman. “Through our Influencer Marketing offering and Edelman Studios we are helping clients create direct and powerful relationships with consumers. Fiona’s experience in these areas will enable us to establish a consistent global approach and deliver best-in-class influencer and content programs.”
Hughes joins Edelman from Collectively, a global influencer marketing agency, where she served as European managing director. Collectively was acquired by You & Mr. Jones last August and merged with theAmplify, also a global influencer marketing agency, acquired by You & Mr. Jones in 2016. At Collectively, Hughes oversaw the firm’s European region and growth of over 300% over the past two years. She also helped establish a European Content Studio, an offering created out of pandemic lockdown trends of influencer as content creator. Hughes worked with many of the world’s most innovative brands and companies during her two years at theAmplify and Collectively, including Unilever, SC Johnson, Portal by Facebook, Diageo and De Beers Group.
Over the past 18 months Edelman has bolstered its Influencer Marketing offering by bringing aboard a number of specialists whom Hughes will partner with. Edelman Studios, which was launched in February, is the firm’s global content creation hub. It is overseen by Jarrod Moses, CEO of United Entertainment Group, a DJE Holdings Company, and includes: BlueRoom Studios, led by Katie Walmsley; and Edelman Productions, led by Jim Haight.
“Content creators are creating more content across more channels than ever – and consumer engagement with this content is at an all-time high. The opportunities in this space are huge, and I’m passionate about helping brands to galvanize and integrate influencer and content marketing”, said Hughes. “I am delighted to be joining Edelman, in the role of Head of Business Development and Operations of Influencer Marketing and Edelman Studios. Edelman leads our industry not only in communications, but also in trust and credibility, which is so essential in the young and evolving spaces of influencer and content marketing. I see nobody better to credibly lead the way than Edelman”.
Prior to Collectively, Hughes was Integrated Communications Director at H+K Strategies UK. Hughes worked on clients in the telecommunications, home, entertainment, travel and tech spaces; and led a cross-market, global team for scopes of work incorporating PR, social, digital, influencer marketing, content, brand partnerships and brand identity.
Before H+K, Hughes was a director at Fever PR and prior to that, the Red Consultancy. She also served as an associate director at MSL Worldwide and before that Weber Shandwick.
Hughes holds a master's degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Oxford.