• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, April 11, 2017

Interpublic creative agency Carmichael Lynch has named its top PR executive--Julie Batliner--president of the agency. She succeeds Marcus Fisher, who was recently promoted to CEO.  

Batliner will continue in her current role as managing partner and president of CL’s PR firm, Carmichael Lynch Relate—where she has spent more than a decade building the agency’s PR practice--while taking on her new duties as president at the parent agency.

She will report to Fischer. 

Batliner’s promotion comes after a banner year at the shop’s PR operations, where last year alone revenues were up 47% and the staff increased by more than 50%. The agency founded its PR unit in 1990 as Carmichael Lynch Spong. It was rebranded Carmichael Lynch Relate last year to reflect what the agency said at the time was the “increasingly collaborative relationship” between the ad and PR operations. 

The agency said Batliner’s elevation demonstrates its commitment to providing clients a “fully integrated offering,” as she will oversee the direction and leadership of the creative agency and PR units. 

Commenting on the promotion, Lynch said Batliner’s “commitment to collaboration and evolving our offerings has been key to our success. ... Her ability to orchestrate cross-discipline campaigns is unsurpassed.” 

Batliner has been with the agency for 11 years and is credited with leading the expansion of the agency’s content lab and social media department, and with helping to spearhead its PR rebranding last year.