WeissComm Group (WCG)announced that it continues to expand its online practice and offerings based on its clients' growing needs in these areas. The company has brought in Neville HobsonABC, to head social media in Europe, based in London, and has made several key hires in its New York, San Francisco and Austin offices.

A well-regarded blogger and podcaster, Hobson is one of Europe's leading early adopters and influencers in the use of social media to help businesses achieve their goals. He has more than 25 years of experience in public and media relations, marketing communications, employee, compensation and benefits communications and investor and financial relations.

"We view social media as a centrifugal force in marketing and communications," said Bob Pearson, chief technology and media officer, WCG. "There has never been a better opportunity for our clients to listen, learn and talk directly to their key customers, constituents and influencers. Neville is a recognized social media thought leader and innovator who will help WCG walk the walk in the use of social media worldwide to reach our client's growing, borderless customer base. His deep understanding of the need to build a more valuable relationship with customers will make him a huge asset to our growing team. We are highly focused on delivering the A+ strategy and execution WCG's clients have come to expect."

Hobson has been running his own consulting practice and also worked with Bond Interactive, a joint venture he began developing with Bond PR International. He was a member of AdHocnium, an informal social media consulting group. Since 2005, he has been co-presenter with Shel Holtz of the twice-weekly "For Immediate Release: The Hobson & Holtz Report," (http://www.forimmediaterelease.biz/) the communication profession's first business podcast, which he will continue to co-host.

Previously, Hobson was vice president, new marketing at crayon. Prior to starting his consulting activities in 2004, he was vice president corporate communication at Scala Business Solutions in The Netherlands, where he was responsible for strategic planning, development and execution of corporate communications worldwide and helped the company achieve eight successive quarters of profitability.

WCG has also invested in key hires that will focus exclusively on online media. New team members include Chris Black, director of digital strategy, previously with Draft FCB; Bob Blount, director of analytics and insights, who worked for 18 years at Dell in communications, customer service and operations positions; Liesel Enke, associate, who joins from Fleishman-Hillard, where she was managing supervisor/healthcare within the social media group; Geoff Knox, associate, previously at Dell, where he was supervisor within the communities and conversations global team; and Lauran Driver, associate, who joins from Porter Novelli, where she was an account executive focused on social media.