This week we’ve completed our Innovation and Integration team line up by welcoming back Beth Bentley. After four and a half years away – at the Government and as Deputy Head of Planning at Adam & Eve/DDB – Beth returns as Digital Strategy and Innovation Director. She brings with her experience including running the Google, Google+ and YouTube business, as we welcome her back into the family fold. One of her main tasks will be identifying opportunities where innovation can support our clients' business in a meaningful and effective new way..

This is Beth:

This is what she has to say: "We live in a golden age of planning. We've never had more ways to bring a creative idea to life. Treating 'digital' as an addendum to a brief, or even as a singular 'channel', is a shame and a waste. W+K is built on thinking, doing and making stuff that's never been done before. To play a key role in digital strategy and innovation thinking here, with these clients, and this team, is incredibly exciting."

Beth’s role sees her work alongside two recent starters whose faces have already adorned this blog. Mr Jim Hunt, our Technical Director, ensures tech excellence throughout the agency and across all departments. He already has one eye on making sure we partner with world class suppliers and the other making sure we ‘make more’ to prototype stage.  And Mr Luke Tipping, who helped shape 101, is already putting creative and media innovation plus emerging tech at the heart of all we do here.

This is Jim on the left. Luke is on the right:

Two familiar faces complete our innovation jigsaw. Danielle Stewart includes Interactive in her production box of tricks in addition to her Head of Broadcast role and Graeme Douglas moves to ICD. In his own words, “We’re in the business of concepting and creating brilliant ideas that work. That will never change. They’ll just be more integrated and relevant that ever before.”

First things first: Beth will be straight back in at the deep end this week, hotly tipped to host tomorrow's drinks trolley. Dig out the Dubonnet, there’ll be Bentley cocktails all round.

The domestic season may be over (yes, yes, well done Arsenal for finishing above Spurs yet again) but England midfielder Jack Wilshere was on important duty for his country this week. He popped back to his old school where his hopes and dreams of playing for England first took root. There at The Priory School in Hitchin he put the new England shirt on the back of a school kid, one who reminded him of himself at that age.

Not only was this the first time many of the kids had seen a professional footballer in real life, it was certainly their first chance to steal a glance at the new England home kit. Now sponsored by Nike, the shirt was premiered by Jason Kelly, the unsuspecting schoolboy chosen by Jack.  The shot of Jason lit up social media as thousands of fans and players retweeted Jack’s shot. Even Tinie Tempah, Gary Lineker and Andy Peters got involved!

“This is where my dream of playing for England started and it’s great to be back here to see a new generation playing with the same passion," Jack said. "I gave Jason the shirt because his commitment and work-rate really impressed me today. He showed that it’s what you do on the pitch that matters — from your first match as a nine year-old all the way up to the international stage.”

At first glance you’ll see the shirt is stripped back, clean and distinctive, taking it back to its roots in white and blue to celebrate the FA’s 150th anniversary. Upon closer inspection you’ll notice the iconic three lions surrounded by a golden border sitting proud on the chest, next to a World Cup-winning gold star and a gold ‘150 years’ ribbon. Sharp, stylish, innovative and crafted – this is everything Nike has put into making the kit and hopes the players will bring to life on the pitch.