Weber Shandwick has appointed Hugh Taggart as the new CEO of its Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. Taggart, a seasoned leader in the public relations industry, joins from FleishmanHillard where he served as CEO of their UK business since the beginning of 2024.Taggart takes the reins from Michael Frohlich, who departed Weber Shandwick last month. During his tenure at FleishmanHillard, Taggart oversaw a team of 200 practitioners. His successor in that role, Marshall Manson, was announced yesterday.A Career of Growth and TransformationPrior to his time at FleishmanHillard, Taggart was instrumental as co-CEO of Edelman UK, where he was credited with leading a period of significant growth and cultural transformation. He also held the position of global crisis chair at Edelman. Following his departure from Edelman, Ruth Warder stepped into the role of UK & Ireland CEO.This move comes amidst Omnicom's acquisition of IPG, the parent company of Weber Shandwick, which also owns FleishmanHillard.New Leadership and Strategic VisionIn his new capacity, Taggart will report directly to Weber Shandwick Global President Jim O'Leary. He will be responsible for overseeing more than 1,400 professionals across the firm's second-largest global region, which encompasses 22 offices including key operations in London, Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Dubai, and Johannesburg.Greg Prager, who served as interim EMEA CEO after Frohlich's exit, has been named President, Weber Advisory in EMEA. He will also supervise several of Weber Shandwick's European markets and report to Taggart.Leadership PerspectivesTaggart stated: "Every so often an opportunity is put in front of you that is impossible to say no to ?Çô this is one. From my conversations with the leaders at Weber Shandwick, it's clear that this is an agency not only with an exciting vision for the future but a firm that's already delivering on it." He added, "The next few years are not without their challenges; however, I've been energized by the ambition and action of the firm and I'm looking forward to joining the talented team and building on the many successes they have had."Jim O'Leary lauded Taggart's appointment, saying: "Hugh has been successfully advising CEOs and other C-suite executives for decades, consistently demonstrating smart counsel, strong leadership and a talent for inspiring high-performing teams. As the modern CEO agenda becomes increasingly complex across the region, I'm confident Hugh and Greg are the right leaders to help our clients meet this moment."Extensive Industry ExperienceTaggart's impressive career also includes serving as managing director of Bell Pottinger's Engage practice. Notably, he was part of the foundational team at Betfair, now a global gaming giant, where he held senior corporate affairs roles in both the UK and Australia.