WE Communications has poached Avant Healthcare’s chief science and executive officer Arun Divakaruni, Ph.D.
In his new role at WE, the women-led healthcare agency, Divakaruni becomes the head of North America scientific engagement, a “critical client service that drives understanding and behavior change through the interpretation of science,” the agency said in a release.
“As the healthcare and pharma industries continue to undergo rapid tech-fueled transformation, building audience understanding of complex scientific concepts is more important than ever,” said Stephanie Marchesi, president of WE Global Health.
“Arun’s successful track record of building strong scientific communications teams and highly relevant client offerings will be invaluable as we expand our Scientific Engagement footprint.”
Divakaruni, who will be based in Chicago, has spent more than 15 years in the industry. Before Avant Healthcare, he worked for 12 years at Weber Shandwick, where he was executive vice president of its global scientific communications team, Element Scientific Communications.
At WE, Divakaruni will now focus on enhancing the agency's scientific engagement services in North America and collaborate with Ben Fisher, who leads the U.K. base for health and scientific engagement.
The engagement service works with 15 of the biggest biopharma companies.