M&A work boosts Huntsworth income
PR group Huntsworth has reported that income in its core public relations and healthcare division has risen above last year’s.
The company, which owns investor and financial PR companies Citigate Dewe Rogerson and Hudson Sandler, saw like-for-like income rise 3.7 per cent in the six months to 30 June.
Rising stock markets and the increased merger and acquisition activity across Europe has been putting a renewed call on the company’s services.
In contrast, income for the marketing services and specialist advertising divisions fell by 7.3 per cent, although these are being sold to Media Square for £55m before disposal costs.
The company was delivering its first results since it merged with Citigate’s owner Incepta at the end of April.
It is pursuing a strategy of building an international PR business specialising in consumer, investor and financial, public affairs, technology and healthcare PR.
Clients include Land Rover, L’Oreal, Nokia, Disney Channel, Wella and ICI.
Chairman Jon Foulds said: “We have made a step change in scale.”
Overall, profits have leapt from £2m to £7m over the past year while operating income has grown to £54.1m from £17.4m.
Following the merger, Lord Chadlington became chief executive of the enlarged company which expects annual cost savings to exceed £2.5m.
It has been all change since the merger with Incepta. Richard Nichols, who was on the board of Incepta since 1998 and chief executive officer since 2001, left yesterday.
Lord Chadlington has been appointed chief executive officer. In the meantime, Jon Foulds, the senior independent director has become nonexecutive chairman until a replacement is found.