Paver Smith makes Manchester acquisition of Stripe
Liverpool-based PR consultancy Paver Smith has acquired Manchester rival Stripe Communications.
The move gives Paver Smith a presence in the Manchester market, where it already advises Grant Thornton, DLA Piper, Muse Developments and Greater Manchester Public Health Network.
Stripe is headed by former Harrison Cowley UK head of business development, Denise Mullen and boasts IKEA, Manchester Greyhound Stadium Belle Vue and world class neurosurgery and neurosciences hospital, the Walton Centre, among its clients.
“This is a good deal for us and will provide a platform for sustained growth,” explained agency MD Dougal Paver (pictured). “We’ll be the only PR agency with a real presence in both key cities.”
The acquisition boosts total agency head-count to 36, with Paver predicting “closer to 50” by the end of 2009. Six staff will initially be based in the agency’s new offices, which Paver says he expects to be “in or around” Spinningfields, Manchester’s Canary Wharf.
Commenting on the deal, Denise Mullen said: “This gives us access to the resources of a much larger business and a strong management infrastructure. It’ll be good for clients and our team.”
Paver Smith was founded in June 2006 following the buyout of the seven-strong PR team of full-service agency Paver Downes, with agency clients include M&S Simply Food franchisee SSP, Shell, Grant Thornton and legal services giant DLA Piper. The agency's forecast turnover for 2009 is £2.8m.