MS&L Hires Director of Learning and Organizational Development for North America

Manning Selvage & Lee (MS&L) today announced it has appointed Rita Masini as senior vice president, director of learning and organizational development for North America. Her appointment is effective immediately.

Masini, who will be based in the agency’s New York office, will work closely with its North American managing directors and senior staff to develop and execute organizational processes, quality initiatives, HR strategies and training initiatives across North America.  She will also be focused on creating an enhanced training curriculum and expanding on the agency’s existing learning modules.

“We are fiercely committed to hiring and retaining the best talent in the industry, and I’m confident Rita will help us continue this pledge,” said Jim Tsokanos, MS&L President of North America. “She has proven expertise in creating innovative training programs and will use this knowledge to build upon our aggressive learning and development criteria.”

Masini joins MS&L from Reckitt Benckiser, a leading consumer products company, where she was manager, training and organizational development, for North America.  There, she was responsible for the development, delivery and coordination of learning/development solutions and talent management initiatives. Masini developed a training plan for 200 new U.S. field representatives, increased performance review compliance numbers in year one by 30%, designed development workshops for high-potential staff, and an on-boarding program for the commercial business.

She was previously with Ketchum for more than 10 years, most recently as vice president, global director, learning and organizational development. In that role, Masini was responsible for performance management initiatives, organizational effectiveness programs and the management of their corporate university. She organized global leadership development programs that improved performance management and talent retention by 25%, and designed the firm’s learning management system.

About Manning Selvage & Lee
MS&L is one of the world's leading global communications firms. Headquartered in New York, MS&L has 54 offices throughout North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific, as well as an extensive global affiliate network.  The agency meets the needs of global and local clients by providing best-in-class services in consumer marketing PR, healthcare PR, corporate communications and technology communications, as well as industry-leading work in digital communications.  In 2008, MS&L was named CRO’s #1 PR firm in Corporate Responsibility, won PRWeek’s Promotional Event of the Year award and the Holmes Report’s PR Product of the Year award for Innovation in Influencer Marketing. 

MS&L is a member of the Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577), the world’s fourth largest communications group, and a global leader in digital and online advertising, media consulting, and healthcare communications. With some 44,000 professionals in 104 countries, the Groupe's activities cover advertising through three global advertising networks:  Leo Burnett, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi, as well as through its two multi-hub networks Fallon Worldwide and 49%-owned Bartle Bogle Hegarty; media agencies with two worldwide networks ZenithOptimedia and Starcom MediaVest Group; and marketing services, including digital and interactive communications through Digitas, relationship and direct marketing, public and media relations, corporate and financial communications, multicultural communications, and event communications. The Groupe is also the world leader in healthcare communications. Web site: www.publicisgroupe.com.

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