Global communications agency Hotwire has announced the promotion of Alex MacLaverty (pictured above) to the newly-created role of chief operating officer (COO), in addition to her existing responsibilities overseeing the company’s ANZ and EMEA offices.

MacLaverty joined the Hotwire team in 2004 and held the position of UK managing director for three years before becoming group managing director for the ANZ and EMEA regions.

She will remain a key member of Hotwire’s global leadership team and will report in to new group CEO Barbara Bates.

Bates said the next three years are going to be pivotal for Hotwire as it seeks to expand its reach even further in terms of its offering, client base and operations.

“It is essential for us to be intelligent and strategic about the way we achieve this growth, and Alex’s strong vision for the business and proven leadership skills, combined with her experience and expertise in driving our performance above and beyond, will be critical in achieving our goals,” she said.

Commenting on her new role, MacLaverty said: “Hotwire is constantly evolving and I am really excited to take on my new responsibilities as we enter the next phase of our development.

“We have some big, bold plans for the business and to achieve them we need the best people and technology at our fingertips, as well as providing a seamless and world-class experience for everyone that works with or for us.