AXON appoints Colette Balaam as its new US Managing Partner

New York, United States – 17 August 2021 — AXON is delighted to announce the appointment of Colette Balaam, our new Managing Partner in the US and lead of the AXON New York office. Hiring Colette is testament of the healthcare communications firm’s long term growth ambition coming to life, with the US being AXON’s fasting growing opportunity.

AXON is expecting to make several appointments in the US in the coming months to support existing clients and potential new opportunities, as we expand our work in medical affairs, clinical trial services, HEOR and real-world evidence, and public relations. Having an experienced leader in New York will accelerate AXON’s plans to be a leading integrated healthcare communications firm that ignites change through meaningful communication with a strong trans-Atlantic base and a global footprint.

“Colette is joining AXON at an exciting time, as we progress our long-term plan for sustained growth,” said Ralph Sutton, international managing partner of AXON, and its parent company AVENIR GLOBAL. “As a consultant she has great experience in working with the medical affairs and commercial teams of pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics clients.  As a business leader, she blends large agency experience with the entrepreneurial spirt of smaller businesses and start-ups.”

“I am delighted to join a firm whose continued focus is on the delivery of value and excellence to clients and the larger healthcare community. I look forward to working with the team and expanding AXON’s presence in the U.S. market”, commented Colette.

Colette's previous role was as the Commercial Lead for Readout Health, a digital biomarker company. Between 2015 and 2020, she was CEO of the US operations of Hive, a London-based healthcare creative agency, and prior to that was a Managing Director of medical communications firm Virtuoso.  She has also worked at both Edelman and Y&R in the past. 

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 About AXON
At AXON, we simplify complex information to improve outcomes in healthcare, bringing together the right people with the right expertise to provide our clients with integrated, multichannel communications solutions. As an agency, we are passionate about healthcare communications and combine a personal touch with professionalism. Our expertise includes medical communications, public relations, clinical trial services and market access communications services/consultancy for pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, animal health and functional food companies. AXON has an international reach, with offices in London, Brighton, New York, Toronto and Copenhagen, and a worldwide affiliate network. Established in 2002, AXON is an AVENIR GLOBAL company.

About AVENIR GLOBAL
AVENIR GLOBAL is a Montreal-based holding and management company with an active operations mindset and a hands-on approach to all its investments. A global powerhouse of specialist communications firms, AVENIR GLOBAL has 1,000 staff and offices in 24 locations across Canada, the U.S., Europe and the Middle East, and ranks among the top 15 largest communication firms in the world.

 In Canada, AVENIR GLOBAL owns NATIONAL Public Relations, the country’s leading public relations firm, servicing clients across a wide range of sectors, which includes NATIONAL Capital Markets, the industry’s foremost investor relations and financial services practice. In the United States, AVENIR GLOBAL owns SHIFT Communications, a data-driven integrated communications agency; and the public relations and communication company Padilla, which includes the brand consultancy Joe Smith, the food and nutrition experts at FoodMinds and the research authorities at SMS Research Advisors.

In Europe, AVENIR GLOBAL owns the London-based strategic communications consultancy Madano and Hanover, one of the EMEA’s leading strategic communications and public affairs consultancies, with offices in London, Brussels, Dublin, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Hanover Group also includes creative communications agency The Playbook, and the brand and culture consultancy Multiple. The AVENIR GLOBAL network also includes healthcare specialists AXON Communications, with offices in Toronto, the U.S, the U.K. and Europe and healthcare creative agency Cherry, based in London.

AVENIR GLOBAL is owned by RES PUBLICA Consulting Group.