FINN Partners, the full-service marketing and communications company, has promoted Fern Lazar, MBA, to Managing Partner, Global Health Practice Leader. Lazar joined FINN in September 2019 after FINN acquired Lazar Partners, the New York-based healthcare PR firm she founded and led as CEO. Since then, Lazar has served as the head of the newly formed Lazar/FINN, which doubled in size over the last two years. While at FINN she has also led the creation of new services in investor relations, brand support, patient advocacy, scientific writing and medical communications, and clinical trial patient recruitment, supporting client achievements and improved consumer-health outcomes. Lazar will continue to report to Gil Bashe, Managing Partner, Chair Global Health and Purpose, FINN.
“Fern is a proven leader who inspires excellence,” Bashe wrote in an internal email to staff about the appointment. “In less than two years, Fern and her colleagues integrated successfully into FINN, creating three of our agency’s largest global clients, accelerating collaboration with Integrated Marketing, and strengthening ties with colleagues globally.”
In her new role, Lazar leads more than 200 health communication professionals across 19 of FINN’s 27 global offices while continuing to serve as head of Lazar/FINN. Since its founding, the FINN Global Health Practice has grown by double digits annually—from $5 million in 2015 to more than $44 million in fees in 2021. It has become one of the agency’s largest units and Lazar will help with the Practice’s continued expansion into Europe and Asia by pulling from her past experience working in Basel, Switzerland for a global pharmaceutical company as well as nearly a decade advising some of Europe’s and Latin America’s largest companies on their U.S. investor relations programs.
“Whether it’s advocating for colleagues, clients, shareholders, physicians or patients, Fern speaks the language,” Bashe said in a press release. “Her fluency in four languages has helped galvanize FINN colleagues globally when speed and thoughtfulness are essential to ensuring innovation reaches healers and those in need without delay.”
Kristie Kuhl, JD, who previously served as the Health Practice Leader since July 2021, is departing FINN to take over the lead health and wellness role at Zeno Group.
“I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to my long-time colleague Kristie Kuhl, who will continue to champion health innovation through a new agency community,” Bashe said in a press release. “The need of patients is great, and communication is a critical part of their care. All who answer the call to action in our field are united in common purpose. We wish Kristie continued success.”
Prior to forming Lazar Partners, which she led for 20 years, Lazar led the health and financial practices at two global PR firms. Before that, she was a soft commodities trader in New York. Lazar holds a B.S. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in International Economics and an advanced certificate from the Landeggar Program for International Business Diplomacy.
“It is a privilege to be called upon to lead one of the communication industry’s foremost health practices,” Lazar said in a press release. “In joining Peter [Finn], Gil, and FINN almost three years ago, it quickly became clear that when people with shared values unite, we can offer much more to our clients and their patients, and the results of our collaboration have exceeded all expectations. Lazar/FINN and FINN have benefited from incredible growth while never losing focus on our people and our clients and their patients, who inspire us each day. It is an honor to serve the industry through this unique, collaborative community. I look forward to supporting my colleagues and their clients around the world to maximize their business goals and improve the health of the patients they serve.”
