Ogilvy PR Australia has hired Susan Redden Makatoa as group managing director, corporate.

The appointment is a return to Ogilvy PR for Makatoa who most recently a partner at SenatSHJ.

The full release announcing her appointment is below:

“Sydney: January 16, 2014: Ogilvy PR Australia today announced Susan Redden Makatoa has been appointed to the role of Group Managing Director, Corporate.  Ms Redden Makatoa is one Australia's leading communications practitioners whose specialities include communication strategy and implementation, media relations, issues and crisis communication, media training and facilitation.

Most recently a partner at SenateSHJ, Ms Redden Makatoa has extensive experience working at the highest level with major business and corporate communications clients. Having previously worked at a senior level with several Ogilvy PR brands, she has advised and run campaigns on behalf of some of the world's largest brands. She has also held senior corporate affairs roles at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the NSW Chamber of Commerce.

In her new role, she will have oversight of a number of the companies and product offerings within the Ogilvy group, including leading public affairs company Parker & Partners, employee engagement and change communication consultancy, Ogilvy Impact, and sustainability communications practice Ogilvy Earth.

Kieran Moore, Ogilvy PR's CEO, welcomed Ms Redden Makatoa’s appointment.

"Susan is an award-winning practitioner who will bring an enormous amount of knowledge, insight and energy to this role. We are really excited to have her on board to further boost our strong brands," Ms Moore said.

"We see Susan's role as drawing together our existing strong abilities in areas such as thought leadership, issues and crisis, corporate reputation and media training and housing them under one umbrella so we can offer them as a single, compelling option to the market.

"We wanted someone who would be able to draw on the obvious synergies that exist between the various Ogilvy brands and Susan's lateral thinking and passion for clear, compelling communications made her the obvious choice.”

Ms Redden Makatoa said she was "stoked" to be returning to Ogilvy.  "It's an exciting time to be joining, as the team is already doing some amazing work.  We're operating in a rapidly changing environment, and great results will take fresh thinking and specialist skills” she explained.

"Luckily the Ogilvy team has that in spades, so I'll be looking to tap into the team's passion and smarts to kick even more goals for clients,” Makatoa concluded.

Ms Redden Makatoa will start at Ogilvy PR in February 2014.