GoFundMe hires John Coventry to lead UK comms

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GoFundMe, the world’s largest social fundraising platform, has hired Change.org’s John Coventry to lead its UK comms activity as the company sets its sights on European expansion.

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John Coventry

Coventry joins GoFundMe from campaign platform Change.org, where he helped launch the UK operation before leading its European and global comms teams.

He is GoFundMe’s first hire outside the US, and will report to VP of policy and comms Dan Pfeiffer, a former senior advisor to Barack Obama.

Pfeiffer said: “John’s track record of telling the biggest stories of people using the web to drive change in their communities is exceptional. We are incredibly excited to bring his leadership experience, knowledge and energy to GoFundMe as we look to give people across the UK and Europe the very best social fundraising tools.”

Coventry added: “The power of the internet to give everyone the tools to stand up for the issues they care about is one of the defining stories of our times. GoFundMe is changing the way people raise and give money, and the team and product are incredibly impressive. It’s great to be joining at such an exciting stage of growth and I can’t wait to get started.”

Chris Parr joins Madano

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Chris Parr, former private secretary to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, has joined strategic comms consultancy Madano to lead its built environment and professional services offering as a director.

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Chris Parr

Parr, who has more than 16 years’ experience in politics, property and planning, joins Madano from Cascade Communications, which he helped establish in January 2011.

Before that, he spent over four years at Bell Pottinger as director of public affairs, where he worked on a portfolio of clients including McDonald’s, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, TAG Farnborough Airport and English Heritage.

Before moving into public affairs, Parr spent six years in the Civil Service, three of which he served as private secretary to then Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

Michael Evans, managing partner at Madano, said: “Chris brings a wealth of experience in both communications consultancy and public affairs. Along with our compelling offer of insight led, integrated communications, I have no doubt that Chris’ experience and expertise will benefit clients across our portfolio.”

Parr added: “Madano is a rapidly growing consultancy, delivering its integrated communications offering to an increasingly impressive portfolio of clients. I’m ambitious to take this further in the built environment and professional services fields and am looking forward to getting to work in 2017.”

PR agencies make Minimum Wage commitment for interns

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A list of 39 organisations has committed to paying interns the National Minimum Wage, according to guidelines set out by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) and PR Week.

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Graham Hawkey-Smith

New additions to the initiative include PR agencies Cicero Group, Feref and M&C Saatchi. Overall the total number of organisations involved is 189.

Francis Ingham, director general at the PRCA, said: “These additions to the PRCA Intern Campaign are an important step in ensuring that the industry is recruiting the brightest young people from a diverse talent pool. It is encouraging to see the PR and communications industry taking a stand against the immoral practice of not paying interns.”

Graham Hawkey-Smith, CEO at Feref, added: “We are proud to be part of the PRCA’s intern campaign as we highly value the contribution interns add to our business, and have always believed that appropriate financial reward is important. We want to help the PRCA encourage all agencies to commit to paying interns. Our industry has a collective responsibility to nurture talented individuals with exciting opportunities, at a fair wage, that help them grow into tomorrow’s leaders.”

The intern campaign launched in October 2011 and aims to end the practice of unpaid internships.

Latest additions to the initiative are:

• 3ManFactory
• Allison+Partners
• Another Word Communications
• Campaign Collective
• Cicero Group
• Cirkle
• Context PR
• Cowshed
• Cultural Communications
• Devries Slam
• Evolving Influence
• Fanclub PR
• Feref
• Fever
• FTI Consulting
• Goodwork
• Gravity
• Grey Pocket
• Hope&Glory
• Influential
• Intelligent Conversation
• JFG Communications
• Launch PR
• Lexis
• Little Red Rooster
• M&C Saatchi PR
• Mischief PR
• Newington Communications
• Nexus Communications
• Oracle Group
• Pangolin PR
• PB Political Consulting
• Pulse Brands
• Satellite MPR
• Spottydog Communications
• Taste PR
• Tin Man Communications
• TNR
• Westbourne Communications

Clarity PR wins ADYOULIKE

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Clarity PR has been appointed by ADYOULIKE, a native advertising technology company.

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Sara Collinge

ADYOULIKE specialises in the supply and demand of in-feed native advertising; digital ads that take on the look and feel of the content which surrounds them.

Clarity’s London and New York teams will handle media relations, events and thought leadership in the UK and North America.

Dale Lovell, chief digital officer at ADYOULIKE, said: “We’re looking to take our communications effort to the next level and raise the profile of our technology capabilities, globally.

“Our entire team is centred around building sophisticated tech that benefits publishers and advertisers and we trust Clarity’s team to get our message to the right people in the right way. They have the experience, relationships and integrated approach needed to support our expansion plans.”

ADYOULIKE launched in Paris in 2011, and in November 2016 integrated with IBM’s Watson AI software.

Sara Collinge, UK MD at Clarity PR, added: “Advertising technology businesses have grown significantly in number and scale over the past five years. ADYOULIKE is one that’s captured an area of the market and is reaping the benefit and expanding fast.

“Our communications programme is built around carving out a market-leading position for the company with publishers and brands alike.They’re the kind of business we love to work with; fast moving, smart and focussed on international expansion.”

Clarity was appointed by London ad tech business Captify in November 2016.

Gutenberg appoints new UK head

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Neil Ashurst

Neil Ashurst has joined Gutenberg as director and country head for the UK.

The appointment follows the agency’s recent rebrand, which positioned it as an integrated communications firm providing digital, content, social, video and PR services.

Ashurst has over 15 years of experience in the communications industry. He has worked for agencies including Performance Communications, 3 Monkeys Communications and Frank PR, and held a head of PR and communications position at video game company GAME.

Harjiv Singh, founder and CEO at Gutenberg, said: “It’s great to have Neil on-board. His knowledge of the UK market coupled with his passion for communications will allow Gutenberg clients to have a great ally in creating and implementing impactful digital, PR and communications campaigns.

“Neil will lead our growth and expansion plans for the UK and Europe from our office in London. Additionally, he will integrate with our US and India teams on global multi-geography clients.”

Ashurst added: “I am excited to join Gutenberg at this pivotal moment for the company. Our experience as story-tellers as well as our growing capabilities across all channels mean that we have a fantastic opportunity and offering here in the UK as the industry continues to evolve.”

Globally, Gutenberg services industries such as technology, retail, financial services, real estate, healthcare, education, aviation, defence, hospitality, infrastructure and not-for-profit.

Cision UK and Gorkana move European HQ to Canary Wharf

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Media intelligence giant Cision, and sub-brand Gorkana, are moving to a new location in Canary Wharf, London. The new offices will act as the European HQ for the Cision brand.

churchill-place-1PR Newswire, which was recently brought under the Cision brand, is headquartered in the area with offices in North Greenwich. The new, larger European HQ in Canary Wharf will bring Gorkana and Cision employees under one roof.

Jeremy Thompson, CEO (EMEA and India) at Cision and PR Newswire, said: “I am delighted to announce our move to the new European headquarters as the next major stage in the Cision EMEAI story.”

“For a fast-growing, global business like ours, it is important that these offices are well-connected and served by multiple transport links to the city and rest of the world. The location of this space does just that.

The European HQ now provides us with the perfect platform for innovation, expansion and growth.”

The European HQ is situated in Canada Square, Canary Wharf, and is well-positioned for Cision, Gorkana and PR Newswire, and the brands’ employees and clients. It will act as a focal point for offices in France, Germany, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Portugal.

The move follows strong global growth for the Cision business, and the appointment of new CEO, Kevin Akeroyd, in August 2016.

From January 2017, the new European HQ address for Cision, and home for Gorkana, will be 5 Churchill Place, Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14, 5HU.

Cicero Group appoints former journalist Irene Kyme

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Cicero Group has appointed former Sky News and BBC journalist Irene Kyme as an account director in its PR team.

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Irene Kyme

Kyme will lead Cicero’s work with a number of financial services clients in the banking, insurance and fintech sectors.

With over 10 years of experience in journalism and PR, Kyme has working for agencies including Edelman, Teamspirit and FTI Consulting. She has specialised in financial services for the majority of her career, and has worked for clients including Barclays, Deloitte, Standard Life, Aviva, Close Brothers Asset Management and Legal & General.

Kyme said: “It’s incredibly exciting to join an agency that has experienced such rapid growth in its PR division in recent years. Cicero has an interesting and diverse client base, and some of the clients I’ll be working on have the potential to shake-up their industry in the coming years. The agency has a history of hiring former journalists so I feel like this is a really good fit for me.”

Mike Robb, executive director at Cicero Group, added: “Irene’s experience speaks for itself, with a career based on experience at the thick end of journalism at both the BBC and Sky News, coupled with PR work for some of the most-respected organisations in the financial services space.”

Camron PR chosen by Pepo

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Pepo, the mobile messaging platform, has chosen Camron PR to run its ‘Design & Interiors’ forum.

pepo-1Camron will run the discussion forum which is about the latest happenings from the design and interiors world, filled with the newest images, video and breaking news about designers, products and interior spaces.

Pepo is a mobile messaging platform that connects users with shared interests.

“We want to be the platform of choice for people driving conversation around specific subjects, subjects that people are passionate about.”

Celicourt wins FluidOil

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Celicourt Communications has been appointed by FluidOil, the independent heavy oil technology company.

fluid-oil-pic-1Celicourt’s technology clients who service the oil and gas market include London-listed Mycelx, which specialises in permanently removing oil and hydrocarbons from water, and Magma Global, the PE-owned manufacturer of carbon fibre pipe for subsea developments.

Mark Antelme, Celicourt’s managing director, said: “We are extremely pleased to have won the FluidOil account. The company’s upgrading technology could not be more relevant as the need for cost effective heavy oil upgrading solutions has never been greater.”

Sustrans appoints new PR team

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UK charity Sustrans has appointed Anna Galandzij as senior press officer, and Amy Jones as press officer.

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Anna Galandzij

Sustrans is a cycling and walking charity known for its flagship project, the National Cycle Network, which has created over 14,000 miles of signed cycle routes in the UK.

Galandzij has responsibility for national news and trade media, and will work with Sustrans’ policy team to promote their work, as well as manage the organisation’s social media and Visible Experts programme.

Jones will lead on consumer PR campaigns and media coverage evaluation and reporting.

Prior to joining Sustrans, Galandzij was a press officer at the Fairtrade Foundation, and Jones was assistant PR officer at Bristol City Council, and senior reporter at Western Telegraph.

Sustrans has comms officers and advisors in regions and countries responsible for PR and stakeholder engagement in their areas.