Hocking, who has been working as an independent consultant for the last 12 months, has 25 years of experience working in advertising, digital, PR and design.
He held the position of chief development officer at agency Fitch for five years, and has also worked in senior roles at Young & Rubicam, Ogilvy & Mather, and The Alloy Group.
His experience predominantly lies within retail and technology, which has seen him work for Kraft, Bacardi, Unilever, Metro, Motorola, IBM, and Nokia.
Hocking will work across all client accounts and report into Initials Marketing's chief executive Jamie Matthews and managing director Richard Barrett.
Matthews said: "Robert’s appointment reflects the fact that as an agency, we’re looking at increasingly diverse and complex briefs as brands seek to change consumer behaviour in a fast-moving landscape.
"He brings the dedicated strategy and planning skills we need to deliver future-facing, behaviour-changing solutions for our clients, as well as helping to take Initials to the next stage of growth."
Hocking added: "I’m totally aligned with Initials’ passion for people and how insight can be used to change their behaviour. I’ve learned that while the ways we reach people have changed, what matters to them doesn't.
"It’s a truism that many brands have lost out in this age of complexity, and working this through is what I’ll be focusing on at Initials, to delivering strategic value to clients’ businesses."
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