Finkelstein, Roberts and Lund to advise BritainThinks

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Communications research consultancy BritainThinks has established an advisory board consisting of The Times‘ Daniel Finkelstein OBE, Mumsnet’s Justine Roberts and McCann Worldgroup’ Mark Lund amid a move into strategy consulting with new partner Spencer Livermore (pictured).

Finkelstein is associate editor and a columnist for The Times and a former Tory policy adviser who was made a life peer in 2013. Roberts is founder and CEO of Mumsnet and has served on a number of panels including those advising Tesco and E.On. Lund is the CEO of marketing services agency McCann Worldgroup in the UK and used to head the COI, the former government communications department.

Deborah Mattinson, Viki Cooke and Ben Shimson founded BritainThinks five years ago to offer polling and insight services helping corporates to understand their audiences.

Just before establishing the new advisory board, BritainThinks announced the addition of Livermore, a former strategy director of corporate PR agency Blue Rubicon, as a fourth partner with a remit to build a new strategy consultancy offer.

Deborah Mattinson said: “Our clients are increasingly seeking strategic counsel that is rooted in deep audience insight that can transform businesses, influence opinion and behaviour change, and drive innovation.

“I’m delighted to welcome three outstanding leaders in communications whose insight and experience will be immensely valuable to our clients and future clients as we continue to grow.”

For Goodness Shakes hires Well Hello

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Ready-to-drink protein and nutrition brand For Goodness Shakes has hired Well Hello to launch its new Protein Water and Protein Coconut Water offering.


For Goodness Shakes’ new range of Protein Water offers 20 grams of protein, with no sugars, fats or carbs. Protein Coconut Water is a more “lifestyle-focused” product, with no sugars, fats or salts.

Well Hello, which was set up by WE Communications’ Nick Woods and Cow PR’s Lisa Taylor in February, has been briefed to work alongside creative and media partner agencies to launch the new offerings, which is the For Goodness Shakes’ first move into the soft drinks category.

The brief will see Well Hello focus on driving awareness and trial through a mix of influencers, as well as trade media.

The account will be led by Nick Woods, who will report to For Goodness Shakes’ MD, Alex Brooks.

Brooks said: “Well Hello impressed us from the moment we met.They quickly showed a good grasp of our brand, our audiences, our challenges and our culture.Securing the right kind of advocacy and endorsement is key for a brand like ours and we’re delighted to be working with them.”

Woods added: “Well Hello works with brands which help people look good, feel good and/or do good so For Goodness Shakes is pretty much a perfect fit for us. This is a brand with an authentic story and a product we’re all desperately passionate about and can really get behind.

“Given the current state of the soft drinks category and how many people are looking for lighter, healthier alternatives, we’re delighted to be working with For Goodness Shakes and offering a genuinely good-for-you drink.”

Home appliances firm chooses Brazen for UK push

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Home appliances company SharkNinja has appointed Brazen as its first UK PR agency, with a brief to ‘own the screen’ for its two brands, Shark and Ninja.

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The home appliances company, which began trading 23 years ago, has offices in the UK, US, China and Canada and makes products sold worldwide.

Brazen’s appointment represents SharkNinja’s first move into PR in the UK. The agency will run a PR and content marketing drive to support a national TV advertising campaign. It will also design and manage various SharkNinja product launches over the next 12 months.

Martin Knight, SharkNinja vice president of Europe, said: “We were impressed by Brazen’s experience in FMCG, its creative approach to the press office function and the fact the agency is clearly ahead of the game when it comes to news-making.”

Nina Webb, CEO of Brazen, added: “SharkNinja offers incredible five-star products – it’s no coincidence that Shark is the USA’s biggest selling vacuum cleaner and the Ninja range is so intuitive and forward-thinking.

“We’re proud to be affiliated with such a customer-focused brand and excited to be given the job of making the products famous in the UK and beyond.”

Brazen, which has offices in Manchester and Dubai and boasts clients including Chicago Town Pizza and Madame Tussauds, recently unveiled its new website with a pledge to ‘own the screen’ for its clients.

FWD wins retained comms brief from YFM Equity Partners

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Private equity investor YFM Equity Partners (YFM) has appointed FWD as its retained PR and comms consultancy.

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YFM Equity Partners MD David Hall

With offices in Leeds, London, Manchester, Birmingham and Sheffield, YFM sources and invests in businesses across the UK regions “with strong potential for value growth”.

FWD has been briefed to increase YFM’s exposure in national, regional and trade media and raise the business’ profile within and beyond its core venture capitalist trust (VCT) marketplace.

The FWD team will be led by director Roddy Watt, who will be supported by account director Cat Ommanney and account manager Leanne Tsang.

David Hall, MD at YFM, said: “FWD has extensive knowledge of the private equity sector. As we continue to see increasing opportunities to invest in growing businesses, their support will help us build our media profile, promote our core values and further engage with existing and potential clients.”

Watt added: “As a specialist financial services consultancy, YFM is a natural fit and welcome addition to our portfolio of clients. With an impressive track record, the firm is well positioned to capitalise on its expertise in the evolving private equity marketplace and shall also be bringing some exciting new service developments to market in the coming months.”

PR behind Movember joins M&C Saatchi PR

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M&C Saatchi PR has enhanced its UK senior management team with the appointment of Dan Cooper, the man behind the PR launch of the Movember Foundation across Europe and, most recently, comms strategy lead at Three Mobile.

Dan Cooper

Cooper joins the global agency’s London hub to work across key global and European accounts, including Footlocker, Deezer and EE.

He joins recently promoted head of consumer Kat McGettigan, head of experience Tom Johnson and global director of finance and operations Anthony Cleary, all of which sit on M&C Saatchi PR’s senior management team.

Cooper has more than 15 years’ industry experience. He spent more than three years at the Movember Foundation, before joining Three Mobile as lead comms strategy manager in January 2015. Before the Movember Foundation, he was head of media for Tottenham Hotspur football team.

In his new role, Cooper will report to M&C Saatchi PR’s global CEO, Molly Aldridge, and UK MD, Chris Hides.

Aldridge said: “We have seen significant growth in the business in 2016 and I’m thrilled that Dan has joined us to drive more new business wins and creative campaigns worldwide. Dan brings an excellent track-record of delivering best in class results and has excellent client counsel. He will be an invaluable addition to our senior team.”

Cooper added: “I’m delighted to be part of such an exciting global agency. M&C Saatchi PR is ‘driven by passion’ and it’s apparent that this goes into every output, be it a local sell in, global creative campaign or high profile event. I’m excited to see what the future holds for us and to get working on some of the coolest brands out there.”

Three tips for PR job seekers looking for the right role

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Gorkana Jobs is launching a new dedicated PR alert this week and to mark the occasion Gorkana jobs manager Ashley Richardson gives us an insider’s view of the PR jobs market and shares three tips for job hunters.

Ashley Richardson

The PR job market is thriving. We have seen a steady increase, at Gorkana, in the number of PR related jobs over the last 12 months. In the first quarter of the year, there was a 10% rise in the number of direct employer jobs compared Q4 2015. Corporate communications has seen the steadiest increase, but we have also seen a rise in the volume of Financial PR-related roles.

There are more job seekers on our site than ever and as, in Q1, 2016 the number of average users to www.gorkanajobs.co.uk increased by 26%, to 51,000 users per month. This is great news for our clients but it also means you need to try harder if you are looking to land one of these roles.

If applying for a new role, bear the following in mind:

1.      Spend time getting the cover letter right and personalise it

Increasingly, we hear employers will read a candidate’s cover letter thoroughly but might only give the briefest of glances to the CV. So do your research and explain you are the perfect candidate in your cover letter. This is where you can show how you understand the niche the agency occupies  or show how you will make the role work for the business. And, be specialised. For instance, if it’s specifically a travel PR role acknowledge that and mention – with examples – why your experience makes you right for the role.

2.       Use your unique skillset to stand out from the crowd

You are looking for a job in a creative environment. There is no better way to show your potential employer how good you are than to find a unique way to sell yourself. You’re the product here so use all your PR knowledge to promote your skills and experience in the most exciting way possible.

3.       Be a grammar hero and proof-read the application, then read it again

We see hundreds of CVs and cover letters here at Gorkana. A huge number of them state that they have an “excellent eye for detail” on one line. Then, they make a sloppy grammar or spelling error on the next. You may be lucky and have a hiring manager who looks past these things but most would use that small error as an excuse to put your CV on the “no” pile.

As one of the only businesses in the UK which runs job boards in both journalism and PR, Gorkana Jobs is in a unique position to help you find your next role or find the right person to fill a crucial vacancy.

We do, however, ensure we are focused on PR, not other areas of marketing. This is important as Tanya Gerreli, communications manager of Nordorff Robbins explains: “Many find it tricky to distinguish the differences between Marketing and Public Relations, and while there is a lot of cross-over in terms of the skill set required to do both, they are separate disciplines with different focuses, purposes and outcomes.

Ashley Richardson is jobs manager at Gorkana.

Sign up for the new PR jobs alert from Gorkana Jobs which launches this  Friday (20 May). To receive this weekly alert, subscribe by emailing [email protected], or by completing this form. The weekly email will be sent to you by Gorkana and each week it will be packed full of the latest PR roles, from account executive vacancies to board director opportunities.

Danish energy giant brings in Powerscourt for IPO comms

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DONG Energy, the Danish oil, natural gas and renewable energy company, has engaged Powerscourt to handle international communications around its planned IPO in Denmark.

Powerscourt was appointed earlier this year following a competitive pitch process. Managing partner Victoria Palmer-Moore and head of industrials, energy and natural resources Ian Middleton lead the team with support from director Peter Ogden and senior consultants Sophie Moate and Matthew Fletcher.

Last week, DONG Energy announced it would proceed with the next step towards an IPO and listing on the Nasdaq Copenhagen exchange and was, subject to market conditions, targeting summer 2016.

Henrik Poulsen, CEO of DONG Energy, said: “Over the past decade, DONG Energy has established a world-leading position in offshore wind, which accounted for 75% of our capital employed at the end of 2015. We have a robust and highly visible build-out plan for offshore wind, which will deliver strong and profitable growth in the coming years.”

He added: “Our focus on renewable energy has turned DONG Energy into one of the fastest growing energy groups in Europe with almost 2/3 of operating income generated outside of Denmark. The planned IPO will create a strong platform for DONG Energy as we continue to lead the transformation of the energy system.”

The Kingdom of Denmark, as majority shareholder, will sell part of its current shareholding in the IPO, while maintaining a 50.1% shareholding in DONG Energy after the IPO. The intended IPO is expected to consist of a sale of at least 15 per cent of the existing shares in the company through a partial sell-down by the current shareholders of DONG Energy other than employee shareholders.

DONG Energy has built a global leadership position in offshore wind with a market share of 26% of the global installed offshore wind capacity, more than twice that of the second-largest player.

Davies Tanner to drive PCMA global comms

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The Professional Convention Management Association has appointed UK-based tourism and business events communication specialists Davies Tanner as its official public relations company.

The PCMA, which is developing its brand globally, is headquartered in Chicago and has 17 chapters throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico with members in more than 35 countries.

Davies Tanner will utilise its knowledge and expertise in the sector to deliver a global communications campaign to expand the reach of the association and solidify its position as the leading provider of senior level education for the meetings industry globally.

Sherrif Karamat, chief operating officer at the PCMA (pictured), said: “We are delighted to be working together with Davies Tanner again. Its global knowledge and expertise within the meetings and events industry is unrivalled and will be extremely valuable to the PCMA as we further develop our membership, activities education and outreach globally.”

Buchanan supports natural resources listing

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Financial PR agency Buchanan is advising oil and gas exploration and production company SDX Energy on its forthcoming flotation on AIM.

SDX is expecting to its common shares to start trading on the London market on or around 20 May. This is in addition to its existing listing on Canada’s TSX-Venture Exchange.

The admission to AIM is a condition of a just-completed private placement fundraising for a total of approximately £7.7m ($11m).

According to SDX, it has a working interest in two producing assets (North West Gemsa and Meseda) in Egypt which have “exceptionally low operating costs”.

Paul Welch, SDX chief executive (pictured),  said: “SDX Energy is a resilient production growth story coupled with exploration upside potential. Our high margin production from our onshore assets in Egypt means we can generate positive free cash flow down to US$15/bbl Brent and this sets us apart from many of our peers.

He added: “The new funds raised will enable us to execute a near-term work programme on our Meseda asset which has the potential to double production. The funds will also go towards a 3D seismic programme on South Disouq, our high impact exploration license onshore Nile Delta, where we will be fully carried on a well later this year.“

Buchanan has been advising SDX on corporate and financial communications since being appointed in the middle of 2015. Its team includes partner Ben Romney and account executive Madeleine Seacombe.

How communications directors can secure NED roles

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Dee Cayhill

Dee Cayhill, director of Cayhill Partners, explains how communications directors can secure non-executive director (NED) and other leadership roles and why doing so matters.

The need for boards to better manage their company’s reputation and identify risks has never been more critical. Yet when looking at the make-up of boards, particularly those in the FTSE, non-executive directors with these skills are noticeable by their absence. So how can communications leaders increase their chances of securing NED and other leadership roles? And what’s the benefit to today’s organisations?

What can corporate communications directors do to get ahead?

Being a strong communications leader is a start but is not enough on its own. To get ahead, communicators need to demonstrate a breadth of knowledge and leadership outside of the confines of the discipline.

That means gaining strong financial literacy and operational experience. A mentor, such as the company CEO, will open doors to taking on wider responsibilities and also support candidacy for NED roles. Building a career across multiple sectors – including in high-profile organisations that are regulated and issues-rich – also tends to pay dividends.

Being proactive, creating a strong professional network, picking the right headhunters, developing your USP and being seen as a genuine contributor to the business will considerably increase the chances of securing NED roles.  And as more communications leaders begin to break through, it will inevitably smooth the path for others to follow.

The benefits of appointing communications leaders to the board

The good news for chairmen and nominations committees is that hiring people with communications experience can create tangible benefits around the top table.

After all, here is a group of professionals with a unique skillset, from managing corporate reputation to bringing in perspectives from outside the business, engaging with multiple stakeholders, taking complex information and distilling it to its core, influencing and advising at senior level, and understanding how company decisions would play out in the public arena.

For those organisations keen to expand their boardroom talent, increase levels of diversity around the top table, as well as improve their corporate reputation management and risk identification, appointing people who have strong business acumen coupled with corporate communications experience could add a unique element to their leadership teams.

The increasing importance of reputation, trust and advocacy skills within organisations and the corresponding growth in the stature of the corporate affairs function will open up career opportunities for communications directors.

However, we are not there yet and in our opinion the communications industry as a whole needs to be far more proactive in articulating the unique capabilities of senior communications practitioners, as well as helping educate the wider business world about the value a background in communications can bring to other leadership roles.

Dee Cayhill is director of Cayhill Partners, the communications executive search, capability benchmarking and coaching firm. Their report, ‘Beyond Corporate Affairs: How can senior communicators secure non-executive director roles to broaden their careers’ , has just been published.