The UK arm of the international agency Weber Shandwick this week announced it was focusing on public sector work by promoting its previous head of multicultural campaigns.

Rakhee Vithlani, currently running the agency’s Multi-Cultural Communications practice will look after its Government and Public Sector Campaigns division.

She will also assume ­responsibility for the company’s relationships with the government’s Central Office of Information, which farms out most public sector spending.

She will continue to provide advice to clients on how to reach ethnic minority groups in the UK.

Vithlani joined Weber Shandwick as a graduate within the Consumer Marketing division working primarily for clients such as Unilever and MasterCard.

Her government experience began in 2005, when she led and won a major brief from the Department for International Development.

Through this and her specialist work for MCC, she won contracts with organisations including The University of Oxford, The Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Cabinet Office and the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Weber Shandwick’s UK & European CEO Colin Byrne said: “I’m delighted to announce Rakhee’s promotion. 2009 has been a strong year for Weber Shandwick in the government and public sector and will continue to be a central focus for us heading into 2010.”