Allison Worldwide has appointed Wendy Lund as its global chief executive, handing the top job to a healthcare communications veteran as the Stagwell owned agency looks to sharpen its pitch to multinational clients and widen its footprint in regulated sectors. Lund is due to start on 12 January, based in New York, with oversight of global operations and the agency’s expansion plans. She will report to Allison Worldwide executive chair Ray Day, and separately to Stagwell chief executive Mark Penn in connection with a second, group level remit. The hire comes with a notable add on. Lund will also serve as Stagwell’s vice chair of health, a newly created role that signals a renewed push by the holding company to build a more coherent healthcare offer across its network. The dual appointment gives Stagwell a senior operator to knit together capability across agencies while keeping Allison, its largest PR business, on a growth track at a time when client budgets are tight and procurement scr...