July 06, 2023, NEW YORK – Hill+Knowlton Strategies, one of the world’s leading strategic communications companies, announced the appointments of DK Bartley as Global Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, and Desirée Davis Stolar as Global Head of Talent Management and Employee Experience.
“DK and Desirée both bring exceptional experience and unmatched enthusiasm for creating amazing places for employees to grow and thrive, rooted in the knowledge of the tremendous value that a diverse and inclusive culture can bring to an organization,” said Azurée Montoute-Lewis, Global Chief People Officer. “They are truly wonderful, accomplished leaders, and will be great additions to the H+K team.”
Bartley most recently served as Chief Diversity Officer for Moody’s, where he developed the global risk assessment firm’s Diversity & Inclusion strategy and accelerated DE&I as a business imperative. Prior to Moody’s, he served as SVP, Head of Diversity and Talent Acquisition of Dentsu International, managing talent solutions for many of the firm’s largest clients, including Microsoft, American Express, Facebook, and LVMH. Bartley has 25 years of experience in DE&I and human resources management for a diverse group of brands, including Sony, Mercedes-Benz, and HarperCollins. He is a respected public speaker and influencer on DE&I topics.
Davis Stolar joins H+K from Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), a national nonprofit that advances training and career opportunities for high-achieving individuals from underrepresented communities. At MLT, she designed and led the organization’s first executive program for senior leaders and built a career engagement framework to support the career and personal development of more than 10,000 professionals – across regions, firms, sectors, expertise, and interests. Prior to MLT, she served as a brand and audience research consultant for media, retail, and tech firms, held strategy and insights roles at Marriott International and Microsoft, and founded a consumer business that secured a deal on ABC’s ”Shark Tank.” Stolar also served as a recent advisory board member for commercial, economic development, business school, and historical institutions, including Harvard Business School.


Since being promoted to the CPO role last September, Montoute-Lewis has been leading H+K’s global end-to-end human capital strategy across a network spanning nearly 40 countries, focused on finding, keeping, engaging, and growing the very best talent in the communications sector. On June 28, she was honored as the 2023 “DEI Champion of the Year” by Diversity Action Alliance (DAA), a coalition of public relations and communications leaders to advance people of color in the industry.
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Sarah Brandon, SVP, Global Marketing + Communications Lead
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About Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Inc. is an international communications consultancy, providing services to local, multinational, and global clients. H+K operates more than 70 offices in nearly 40 countries worldwide, as well as an extensive associate network, delivering award-winning campaigns to clients across all sectors and disciplines and with a focus on continued innovation for the industry. Headquartered in New York, the firm is part of WPP, one of the world’s largest communications services groups.
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