Mumbai: Wunderman Thompson has announced the appointment of James Hammond to the newly created role of head of healthcare for the APAC region. Hammond is currently based in Hong Kong and shall begin his new assignment in November, said the company in a statement.

Hammond previously worked with WPP Health Practice International as APAC client lead and global client EVP for close to a decade. He then went on to J-lab Asia where he forged an independent network of healthcare agency partnerships across the APAC region as principal. During the same time, he was simultaneously working with Klick Health USA as a regional partner.

“James brings with him a deep understanding of the unique needs of the healthcare industry in APAC. We are thrilled to have such a prolific industry leader drive our health practice forward,” said Wunderman Thompson International CEO Ewen Sturgeon.

With over 25 years of experience, Hammond has led agencies across the United States, North Asia, and Australia, working with large multinational brands such as J&J, GSK, Nestle, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Gilead.

“This is a very exciting time to be joining Wunderman Thompson. The agency has built a unique offering at the intersection of creativity and technology. I believe this is a great fit for healthcare clients looking to build more integrated customer experiences," said Hammond. "We have big ambitions in this region as we continue to build our consumer healthcare business and extend our offering to prescription healthcare clients."