News and Insights
Michael Heinley Joins Finn Partners as Partner and New York Health Practice Deputy
November 2, 2016
Finn Partners has appointed Michael Heinley as partner and deputy of the agency’s New York Health Practice. Heinley will report Kristie Kuhl, JD, senior partner, Finn Partners Health, in New York. He will also work with global practice director Gil Bashe, managing partner, in a global professional development effort for colleagues throughout the agency’s 14 offices.
Prior to joining Finn Partners, Heinley was vice president of corporate communication at WebMD and oversaw external and internal communications, including executive communications and thought leadership in digital health, advertising and publishing.
“Michael is a healthcare industry veteran, and has helped manage the reputation of many of the world’s most respected and trusted healthcare industry brands,” said Kuhl. “Our clients and our team will benefit from his experience in launching and creating campaigns for pharmaceutical products and devices that are leaders in their categories. He has also managed several high-visibility issues involving stakeholders across the connected healthcare ecosystem.”
Heinley has extensive experience as a corporate communications executive with Johnson & Johnson, Merck and WebMD spanning internal and external communications, reputation management and marketing. He has also worked in the healthcare practices of international public relations agencies, including Hill+Knowlton.
Previously, Heinley served as Johnson & Johnson’s vice president, corporate communication, in leadership roles globally in the Company’s Pharmaceutical and Corporate divisions. In his most recent role at the Company, he was responsible for Johnson & Johnson’s enterprise-wide employee engagement and CEO communications.
Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Heinley worked at Merck where his experience included roles in global product communication, marketing, and corporate public affairs where he helped protect and strengthen the Company’s reputation as it navigated issues and crises.
Heinley is also tasked with a global professional development initiative that is geared to make Finn Partners Health Practice members among the most sector knowledgeable in the PR industry. The agency has been a driver in addressing how macro-economics and value-based health delivery influence access to care.
“Michael has expansive industry knowledge across companies, functions and audiences. His work with reputation, product and technology, offer our talent a competitive advantage in the marketplace as we prepare them to be our industry’s future leaders. We want to ensure that our client recommendations reflect the real-world our health clients must navigate,” said Gil Bashe, managing partner and global Health Practice head, Finn Partners.
“I’m proud to join Finn Partners, and contribute to the leadership and growth of the Health Practice,” said Heinley. “Throughout my career, I have had the privilege to work with mission-driven companies committed to helping patients live healthier, happier lives. Every team member at Finn Partners shares this same sense of purpose, which is reflected in the work we do every day for the clients we have the privilege to serve.”
Heinley graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in journalism.