Allen has more than 20 years' experience in communications. At Cramm Francis Woolf, he set up the digital division and has worked across all sectors, specialising in financial services and government, and helped develop the award-winning "Camouflage" programme for the Army.
Proximity has created the new role because it feels that traditional agency new-business programmes are too limited and do not focus enough on communications with clients about what they are looking for and what they will need in the future.
Allen will report to Proximity's head of strategy Simon Calvert, who said that Allen was someone the agency had to snap up.
"When talent like Kevin become available you have to find a way of creating an opportunity that inspires and motivates him to join you."
According to Allen: "One of my biggest frustrations in recent years has been the way marketing in general, and agencies in particular, seem to have lost their focus on thought leadership within organisations.
"What I'm really impressed by is not just Proximity's desire to regain that territory, but by the people, processes and thinking tools they've put in place to achieve it."
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