Sarah Richardson, the former Edelman senior director and founder of the strategic consultancy Noble Purpose, is to join Weber Shandwick’s UK leadership team in the new role of managing director of the firm’s corporate practice.

The senior practitioner, who has also served a secondment in-house with Starbucks Coffee Company, and worked a spell in-house at Centrica, starts this month, with a brief to grow a strong and vibrant practice in the UK.

She will report into UK and Ireland CEO, Rachel Friend, and work alongside Jon McLeod, chairman of Corporate Financial and Public Affairs, and the recently appointed managing director for Public Affairs, Anthony Marlowe.

Commenting on the news, Rachel Friend said, “Sarah is an impressive individual, whom I am personally delighted to welcome to the team. She is an award-winning strategic consultant with over 15 years’ experience in delivering creative and innovative campaigns and communications in both the private and public sector. Her strength in overseeing and motivating teams, as well as in developing strategic visions for both C-Suite clients and internal audiences, makes her the perfect fit for us.”

Jon McLeod added, “Sarah is a unique and landmark hire for Weber Shandwick. As well as her extensive and impressive consultancy and client track-record, Sarah comes with experience as a journalist, a non-executive director and an elected politician. It is a real coup for Weber Shandwick to have attracted talent of her calibre, with a widely-regarded and well-established reputation around the industry. We look forward to welcoming her to our leadership team.”