Christian Hicks Email and Phone Number

Manage a team of senior strategists charged with prompting all HP employees to recognize and embrace HP’s digital transformation as an opportunity to learn, contribute, and grow in new ways. Distill HP’s digital transformation agenda into a clear, consistent, and compelling storyline, activate an integrated communication plan, and guide the Chief Digital & Transformation Officer and other HP leaders in communicating progress of six critical enterprise initiatives. Championed the employee experience and advised functional peers as the communications lead on the COVID-19 response team. Developed executive, manager, and employee communications about HP’s evolving response to the pandemic. Wrote biweekly all-employee email on behalf of Chief People Officer, drafted messages for Chief Executive Officer, maintained internal COVID-19 website, updated HP site leaders on safety protocols, and championed the HP Way in pandemic-related communications. Assisted global HR lead of HP’s Commercial Organization in developing, launching, and promoting a three-year people strategy. Supported change management experience and communications during a major reorganization, including remapping of job roles and reconfiguration of sales compensation plans. Tapped as communications lead on numerous high-stakes, quick-turn, often confidential initiatives such as site closures and acquisitions that have significant implications for employees and the business.

Redefined role from tactical content and campaign manager to strategic consultant who leaders across HR, IT, Finance, Sales, and the businesses turn to optimize the design, expression, and implementation of programs affecting how employees work, communicate, and engage with HP. Designed and delivered the experience strategy and communications program supporting an enhanced early retirement program in the US. Ensured long-tenured employees were honored for their contributions while protecting business continuity during their transition. Led communications supporting HP’s year-end performance management and rewards cycle, with outreach and training for executives, managers, and employees. Over three years, enhanced a library of planning and content resources to simplify program management.Revived flagging effort to define HP’s employer value proposition and co-led reimagining of HP’s onboarding experience for new employees. Supported rearticulation and relaunch of the HP Way following the separation of Hewlett-Packard. Developed internal communications strategy for celebrating HP’s 80th anniversary. Developed creative strategy and managed communications for the annual HP Reinventor Awards, a new employee recognition program. Pitched, researched, wrote, and edited dozens of stories for The Daily Inc., HP’s internal portal.

Made the business case and launched a new agency practice targeting purpose-driven companies focused on communicating their corporate responsibility (CR) and environmental performance. Led storytelling and content development for more than a dozen award-winning CR reports and related internal/external thought leadership campaigns for HP, Microsoft, Google, Nike, Hasbro, Comcast NBCUniversal, and Tiffany & Co. Helped Johnson & Johnson reframe its mission for improving human health in terms of environmental sustainability and developed related communications program to drive engagement among employees.Led discovery process and communications strategy for an internal safety campaign at Johnson & Johnson manufacturing facilities worldwide. Developed content marketing campaign to shift Nike employees’ perception of environmental sustainability from a regulatory requirement to an engine for product innovation and business growth. Worked with HP marketing and sales teams to differentiate an array of enterprise and consumer products based on their sustainability profile and performance.

Set strategy, developed messaging, and led all communications promoting the HP Brand Innovation Lab, a three-year internal campaign to transform how HP employees perceived and brought the company’s brand to life. Select tactics included two book-length summaries of a speaker series, an internal blog, intranet stories, weekly e-newsletters, executive presentations, and training and workshop tools. Developed customer experience and communications strategy to support the launch of a new product offering from Charles Schwab & Co. targeting high net worth investors. Translated client communication and marketing needs to actionable creative strategy for producing content-rich assets and tools, including thought leadership, sales enablement, employee engagement, customized for online and offline media.

Set strategic direction for clients and account teams, created and managed communication plans, wrote and edited media materials, bylined articles and white papers, and coached spokespersons. Developed and led media relations and member communications for Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF), a nonprofit technology standards group comprising Fortune 100 companies.Managed day-to-day business activities on behalf of DMTF, with oversight of operational budget, membership renewals, developer conference, website content, vendor relations, and board meeting logistics and reporting.Counseled Informix Software executives and managed media outreach when company was acquired by IBM.

Led internal and external communications for web start-up that grew from 50 to 500 employees in 18 months.Created award-winning national PR campaign that generated more than 50 million media impressions with a budget of $35,000, helping vault Apartments.com from third to first among rental housing websites.Refined brand voice and product messaging, wrote media materials and sales collateral, refreshed website editorial content, maintained customer newsletter and maximized visibility at trade events.Served as liaison between corporate marketing and field sales teams to ensure consistent execution of brand and communications strategy.Produced weekly news digest and quarterly trends report to keep leadership team and sales force informed of market trends and competitive activities.

Managed national PR campaigns promoting brands such as Cracker Jack, Classico and ReaLemon.Placed stories in top 50 U.S. newspapers, as well as in popular cooking and lifestyle magazines, and on syndicated TV and radio programs.Scoped launch plans as member of entrepreneurial team charged with bringing new food products to market.Sold-in to senior management the first Borden website as an emerging channel for targeting media. Directed site development, promotion and updates.