PR news round-up (17-21 June)

Here’s a round-up of PR news from the past week, including CommsCon X Insights selling out, wins for WIRE and new hires at MRM, GCI Health and Fleet Street Communications.

CommsCon X Insights (sold out)

CommsCon X Insights is now sold out. If you have registered for the event, we look forward to seeing you at the Ministry of Sound on Tuesday. If you haven’t, keep an eye on our website and social channels for short summaries of every session.

People news

Financial services comms consultancy MRM has appointed Paul Beadle as associate director in the corporate and consumer finance team. He will also assume responsibility for social media and digital communications, providing strategic planning, campaign delivery and issues management counsel. This is Beadle’s second spell at the consultancy, having previously headed up its digital and social media offering before moving in-house.

GCI Health has made six new appointments to its team. The agency has hired Gemma Medcalf as director, Tamara Ghanem as associate director, Alice Morgan as senior account executive, Talia Berkley as account executive and Jack Panton and Jessica Reid as junior account executives.

(L-R): Alice Morgan, Gemma Medcalf, Tamara Ghanem, Talia Berkley, Jessica Reid and Jack Panton

Fleet Street Communications has appointed Ed Whitehead as associate director in its Birmingham office. He will work closely with client services director Steve Dann to develop the agency’s client base in the region. The agency has also announced the hire of Jack Evans as senior account manager and Tashia Cameron as account manager.

32West has appointed Amee Wightman as social media manager. She will support some of the agency’s existing customers, as well as growing 32West’s social media operation.

Context Public Relations has hired Sarah Boyle as senior account manager. She will work with clients in the fintech, enterprise IT and internet of things sectors.

Account wins

WIRE has announced three new client wins. The Glasgow-based comms agency has won a contract from whisky brand Old Pulteney to create a global consumer idea and deliver an earned media campaign around it. WIRE will also deliver a comms and content campaign for whisky brand anCnoc and oversee a corporate and consumer campaign for guitar retailer guitarguitar.

Charity The Reading Agency has appointed Midas PR to promote Quick Reads 2020. Midas is tasked with delivering a high-profile media campaign to generate consumer awareness.

The Grand Trunk Road restaurant has selected Plus 1 Communications to promote the eatery to the public.

Agency news

Westminster-based public affairs agency Connect has acquired Northern Irish public affairs consultancy Stratagem. Strategem’s Gráinne Walsh has been promoted to the role of director, while the acquisition is being treated more as a merger, with the Northern Irish consultancy continuing to operate with its own brand.

Mango PR has rebranded to The Mango Agency to reflect the breadth of services which it now offers to clients.