Regional corporate affairs appointment at IHG Hotels & Resorts

Tala Abu Taha has joined Abu Dhabi-headquartered 9Yards Communications as Chief Growth Officer. In her new role, Tala will lead the firm's regional and international growth efforts by supporting the growth trajectory of its offices in London, Cairo, and New York, as well as strengthening strategic partnerships with clients.

She will also work to support the development of the company's services in line with the priorities and requirements of the public and private sectors across regional and global markets.

Tala brings more than 25 years of experience in public relations, public affairs, strategic communications, and business growth, having held senior leadership roles at regional and global agencies, driving growth across multiple communications verticals.

Her experience also includes serving as Communications Director for the Qatar Foundation via BLJ Worldwide, as well as public diplomacy and governance with Aktis Strategy (UK) and Coffey International (USA).

Sophie Stockman has been promoted to Principal in Stakeholder Engagement at Colliers Urban Planning. She has been with the team since July 2025, initially as a Senior Consultant at Ethos Urban before its acquisition by Colliers.

Sophie's experience spans in-house and consultancy teams as a communications and marketing specialist.

Edelman has appointed Jo Osorio and Caroline Lovejoy as Interim Co-Chief Executive Officers for Australia.

Jo has been at Edelman for 14 years and brings experience in corporate communications, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement. She advises organisations through business transformations and complex issues, with a focus on sustainability and the energy transition. In addition to her new role, she will continue as Chief of Staff for APAC.

Caroline’s experience spans both agency and in-house roles. She brings expertise across the full consumer communications landscape, including earned media, influencer strategy, digital, brand activations, and events. Before joining Edelman, she spent nine years at independent agency FORWARD, where she served as General Manager and later Managing Director.