Steve Heywood has been appointed Senior Vice President, Global Head of Communications at Philips, a role he had been serving on an interim basis.Heywood shared the update on LinkedIn, stating that he will lead communications for the company while continuing to work alongside the global brand team.He has been with Philips for over two years and most recently served as Vice President, Global Head of External Relations. In that role, he was responsible for group external communications, including financial results, corporate media relations, sustainability communications and C-suite positioning.Prior to joining Philips, Heywood spent nearly nine years at Edelman in the Netherlands, where he held several leadership positions, including General Manager, Deputy General Manager, Head of Client Services and Director.Earlier in his career, he served as Head of Corporate Communications and Communications Manager at eBay in London. He has also held roles at Weber Shandwick, McDonald's, Solihull Council and the UK Ministry of Defence.

Steve Heywood has been appointed senior vice president and global head of communications at Philips. He joined the company two years ago as vice president and head of external relations, and most recently led the communications function on an interim basis.In his new role, Heywood will oversee the healthcare company’s reputation across investor, regulatory, stakeholder, internal, and external audiences.In a LinkedIn post, Heywood said, “Communications connects strategy, innovation and impact to strengthen trust and stakeholder confidence, ultimately supporting business performance. It's a fascinating moment to do this work as AI reshapes how we produce, discover and consume content. I'm proud of the contribution this team makes to help Philips deliver better care for more people.”Lian Vergeer-Langens will continue to lead the company’s brand function, with both teams set to work closely together.Heywood joined Philips in May 2024 after spending nearly a decade at Edelman in management roles, most recently as general manager of the firm’s operations in the Netherlands.Before that, he served as head of corporate communications for eBay in London and also held roles at Weber Shandwick and McDonald’s.