The head of digital communications at 10 Downing Street and the mastermind behind the Conservative Party’s 2010 General Election digital campaign will leave his public sector role in August to join global PR & communiations agency Hill & Knowlton.

A judge at the 2010 Digital Impact Awards, Rishi Saha is credited with a pioneering approach to political digital communications, having led an overhaul of the Conservative Party’s media relations and the British Government’s online comms strategy since his appointment as David Cameron’s head of digital communications.

Saha will take up the newly-created post of Regional Director for Australia, the Middle East, Africa and South & Central Asia (AMEASCA) for H&K in August, relocating to Dubai. He will have responsibility for leading the agency’s digital strategy across Europe and AMEASCA, as well as business development in emerging markets and global content creation capability.

“The challenge of serving the complex strategic needs of H&K’s clients across multiple territories is a tremendous one,” comments Saha, “but it is one I greatly look forward to taking on.”