Marina Maher Communications hired Matthew Anderson as executive vice president and chief marketing officer as the agency continues to expand its pharmaceutical business.

In the newly created role, Anderson will work on both consumer and pharma accounts. He formerly worked at Code and Theory, Publicis Worldwide and the Kaplan Thaler Group.

Another new hire is Matt Duralek, who was named vice president of talent acquisition. He previously worked for Rosetta and the CDM Group.

The New York–based agency worked with Merck on the “Plan It Forward” campaign to raise awareness about long-acting reversible contraceptives. The drugmaker markets Nexplanon, an implant that prevents pregnancy for three years. It has also worked with Celgene, Eisai, Novo Nordisk and Pfizer.

MMC’s pharmaceutical business generates about half its billings and has more than tripled in the last eight years, according to an agency spokesperson.