Jill Puente is now chief marketing officer at Unusual Ventures, the venture capital firm that invests in early-stage AI, cybersecurity and fintech startups, Axios first learned.

Why it matters: As the venture ecosystem becomes more crowded, firms are doubling down on their marketing and communications efforts to help differentiate themselves.

What she's saying: "Unusual isn't trying to be everything to everyone or generate content for the sake of it — we're laser-focused on helping early-stage technical enterprise AI founders reach product-market fit," Puente told Axios.

• "That clarity is powerful, but it also requires a precise and disciplined brand voice and marketing approach. It's a challenge I'm excited to take on."

Zoom in: Puente will report to Unusual founder and managing partner John Vrionis and will oversee the marketing and platform teams.

• Puente joins Unusual from Pear VC, where she served as a marketing partner and established the firm's marketing, communications, and community functions.
• She previously held brand marketing roles at Google and started her career in the U.S. Senate as a legislative staffer.

What she's watching: The balance between AI and authenticity.

• "AI is a powerful tool that can accelerate comms and marketing workflows — but founders are smart. They can tell when content and design is overly generic or lacks a human touch. People are at the heart of venture and startups, and I think there's a growing appetite for content rooted in real insights and people and first-principles thinking," she said.

• Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems promoted Stephanie Roberts to chief communications officer.
• Hinge promoted Tamika Young to senior vice president, global communications.
• Enhanced Games named Michael Oakes as senior vice president, communications.
• Brunswick alum Alex Finnegan joined Bank of America as senior vice president, global corporate communications.
• Becca Loveridge joined Vanguard as head of public relations.
• Oatly alum Adam Davis joins DoorDash as head of global corporate communications & content.
• Manulife Wealth & Asset Management named Jeff Cathie as global head of communications.
• Anthony Farina is head of corporate communications & brand at Fujifilm Corporation.
• Blaine Rummel joins Exelon as vice president, corporate communications and marketing.
• Apollo alum Ramona Boston joins Grayscale Investments as chief marketing officer
• Elizabeth Bramlage joins Versapay as chief marketing officer.
• CNBC named Lauren Skowronski as senior vice president, global communications; Richard Hudock is now senior vice president, communications at MSNBC; and SpinCo named Diana Rocco as vice president, internal communications and Hollie Tracz as vice president, media relations.
• Hyundai named Trevor Hale as vice president, public relations and communications.
• Walmart promoted Jennifer Rodriguez to vice president, U.S. communications.
• Muck Rack promoted Linda Zebian to vice president, communications.
• Jennifer Brooks joins Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Inc. as vice president, corporate affairs.
• Luke Lewis is vice president, corporate reputation at iCapital.
• Daniel Harrison is head of communications at Phantom.
• Condé Nast alum Olive Leatherwood joins SSENSE as head of brand communications.
• Yanina Erman joins Cockroach Labs as head of corporate marketing and communications.
• Sydney Walz joins Revry as head of marketing.
• Dan Patterson is senior director of corporate communication at Blackbird.ai.
• Rob Wolf joins Salesforce as senior director of social media and influence marketing.
• Kickstarter promoted Nikki Kria to director, integrated marketing & communications.
• Gautier Lemyze-Young is director, public relations at Hut 8.
• Diego Romero joins BWH Hotels as director, corporate communications & public relations.
• Weber Shandwick alum Jasmine Chan joins EY as communications leader, Americas.
• Amgen named Edelman alum Lisa Miller senior manager of corporate communications.
• Garret J. Shaw joins Offchain Labs as communications lead.
• Kyle Cabodi joins Fieldguide as senior director, corporate marketing.
• Donovan Harris joins Gravity Research as director of market strategy & executive communications.
• Ivanica Skalko joins JPMorgan Chase as media relations associate.
• Bobbie promoted Sidney Bauer to marketing manager.
• Verkada added Stephanie Larratt and Nicole Gauci as communications managers.

• Senate alum Sharon Soderstrom joins Brunswick Group as a senior adviser; Jayne Rosefield is now head of global strategy & transformation; Eleanor French is global consumer industries group co-lead; and Jack Walker is director, global technology, media & telecoms advisory in Brunswick's New York office.
• Prosek Partners hired Teneo alum Doug Campbell as managing director based in London and promoted Carlin Pappas to associate vice president.
• Biden White House alum Ben LaBolt returns to Bully Pulpit International as president.
• ROKK Solutions promoted Ashley Carpenter to chief business officer.
• Prosek Partners alum Jonathan Marino joins Upland Workshop as managing director.
• Gerard Meuchner has launched GComms.
• ADL alum Dan Roberti joins SKDK as managing director and Beth Kanter is executive vice president.
• Narrative Strategies names Cassie Boehm as managing director and Alex Romano as senior director.
• Real Chemistry named Cali Howitt as president, U.S. medical communications and Kimberly Muscara as West Coast portfolio leader, integrated communications.
• Jackson Spalding promoted Monica Corbett to partner.
• McNeely Brockman Public Relations hired Mary Ruth Raphael as senior vice president.
• The Bliss Group promoted Meghan Busch to group vice president and Emma Skultety to vice president.
• Avoq added Lindsey Seidman as senior vice president, government relations; Betsy Ralston as vice president, group creative director; and Amanda Finney as vice president, reputation management.
• Pia Arthur and Kelly Cheeseman launched Cuore Collective.
• SolComms named Elizabeth Snyder as senior director of digital health, and Melissa Stavenhagen as director of technology.
• Ashley Fallick joins MikeWorldWide as vice president.
• Megan Swiatkowski launched communications firm Megnify.
• Fortune alum Michael del Castillo launched Media Luna Creations.
• DGA Group promoted Nicole Frazier, Jackson Hayes, Shen Lei, Karen Poreh and Anya Prusa to partner; Josh Aulak, Alvaro Genie, Marcel Hermann, Tom Hollywood, Austen Josephs, Karen Kennedy and Victoria McNish to associate partner.
• Annette Sally joins Brunner as executive vice president.
• Praytell promoted Maria Opatz to senior vice president, integrated communications.
• SBS Comms named Shannon O'Flaherty as vice president and Ripley Park as account director.
• Employera promoted Monica Robertson to vice president.
• Sophie Baine joins Orangefiery as an associate.
• Nahigian Strategies promoted Lizzy Donahue to account manager.

• Former State Department official Liz Allen joins the NFL Players Association as chief external affairs officer.
• Burson alum Shaila Manyam is now executive director and chief operating officer for the World Federation of Direct Selling Agencies.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce hired McConnell alum Doug Andres as vice president of political communications.
• Habitat for Humanity International promoted Emily Mason to vice president, strategic communications & marketing.
• Tim Ebner has been promoted to vice president of communications & marketing at the Can Manufacturers Institute.
• Carrie Sessine joins IPC as vice president, global communications.

• The Atlantic: Jenna Johnson and Dan Zak are senior editors, and Tyler Austin Harper is a staff writer.
• Axios: Mike Szvetitz is managing editor — Axios Local; Chelsea Naso is an editor — Pro Deals; Travis Meier is a reporter — Axios Kansas City; Ryan Barwick is an M&A Deals reporter; and Mitchell Byars is a reporter — Axios Boulder.
• CNN: Kate Irby is a White House editor; Andrew Freedman is a senior reporter, climate & weather; MJ Lee is senior national enterprise correspondent; Matt Zapotosky is senior director of White House and Capitol Hill reporting; Julia Vargas Jones is a correspondent based in Los Angeles
• The Hollywood Reporter: Lori O'Connor is the publisher
• The Information: Miles Kruppa is a finance reporter.
• The New York Times: Jordyn Holman will author the "Corner Office" column; Tawnell Hobbs joins the investigations team.
• NPR: Evie Stone is executive producer of "Weekend Edition" and "Up First Saturday."
• The Palm Beach Post: John Bisognano is executive editor.
• Politico: Steven Overly is editorial director of Politico Live; Ben Leonard is a congressional reporter; Christopher Cadelago is editorial director, California.
• Punchbowl News: Ally Mutnick will cover Congress.
• Washington Post: Scott Nover is a media reporter; Adam Taylor will cover the U.S. State Department.
• Wired: Kylie Robison is a senior AI correspondent.