London 16th May – Cognito, the specialist financial services communications agency, has appointed Charlie Ansdell to the new role of Chief Operating and Strategy Officer. Ansdell will join the Cognito board and bring his experience to major clients and enhance Cognito’s services, businesses, and practices globally.
Cognito operates from seven cities globally, with most clients using services from multiple offices. The agency offers full services across the entire communication and marketing mix, with growth areas ranging from climate transition advisory to Chinese language social media. In the new role, Ansdell will enhance Cognito’s capabilities and expertise to ensure that clients experience the best Cognito can offer around the globe. Ansdell will also oversee the professional development of talent and strategic and operational plans for the business.
Ansdell is a senior leader with a 20-year proven track record of transforming communications performance to deliver organisations’ strategic and financial goals. He advises companies on how to build their reputation, engage stakeholders and provide a supportive environment to achieve their mission and purpose. Charlie will also be available to clients as a senior consultant.
Ansdell has spent the past decade in global consultancy roles focused on financial and professional services, digital communications and data-led communications strategy. He has advised blue-chip clients including HSBC, Mastercard, KPMG, PwC, State Street Global Advisors and Vanguard on high-stakes reputation challenges and business-critical projects. Previously Charlie spent eight years in-house for Santander in London and Madrid, leading transformational projects in the UK communications function and the global technology and operations division. These included turning around Santander UK (Abbey’s) reputation, creating a global communications model, optimising Santander’s digital communications assets and driving global mobile and internet banking adoption.
Tom Coombes, Cognito CEO, comments, “Charlie’s agency and in-house experience, combined with his consultancy, communication and digital transformation experience, means he is ideal to help Cognito as we scale our business across our global network. Our ambition is to become the leading international agency in financial services, fintech and climate transition by helping clients manage their reputations across stakeholders, handle threats and achieve their business or organizational goals. Communications and marketing today live amidst volatility, complexity and ambiguity, and boardroom-level experience like Charlie’s is crucial to our ability to deliver our clients the best services in the most impactful and efficient way.”
Charlie Ansdell said “Cognito is a consultancy that I have followed closely and admired for many years. Its proven understanding of financial services and markets, coupled with a genuine footprint in global financial centres, is uniquely valuable for today’s complex, international organisations. I am looking forward to working with Tom and his talented team to deliver exceptional advice and results for clients as they navigate fast-evolving challenges, emerging risks, and growing complexity.”