ADMIRAL KICK STARTS EXPANSION STRATEGY

Undaunted by the current economic climate, Newcastle-based PR and public affairs company, Admiral, is bucking the trend and moving ahead with ambitious expansion plans which include the opening of a Manchester office on September 1^st and trebling both turnover and workforce numbers within the next five years.

The company, which currently employs 10 full-time and four part-time staff, will be rolling out its proven formula to other regions and has its sights set

on adding further offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Scotland and Northern Ireland over the next five years. Admiral has also acquired a London base, although Newcastle will remain its head office.

Admiral’s founder and managing director, Georgie Cameron said: “We’ve spent the past 18 months planning our growth strategy whilst protecting our current position during these tough times. Having managed to avoid any drop in profit or turnover, we’re now ready to move forwards and export Admiral’s expertise, creativity and dynamism to Manchester and from there elsewhere around the country. It’s a really exciting move for the company and as a team we’re looking forward to taking on fresh challenges.”

Recent steps to implement the strategy include the appointment of PR entrepreneur, Stephen Waddington as non-executive chairman, and Chris Kelsey who joins from London agency Finsbury. Chris will head up the new public affairs division at Admiral.

Georgie added: “Although based in the North East we already have clients the length and breadth of the country. Our long term plan is to become a well respected regional communications agency – both with clients who want to hire us and with staff who want to work for us.”

With this in mind, Admiral’s growth strategy will be in line with contract wins. Hence the opening of the North West office follows a successful campaign which saw Admiral working with international and Manchester City goal keeper Shay Given and his wife on their celebrity-studded charity event, Fashion Kicks 2010.

The consultancy also landed Manchester-based O3Talk, a new conference call provider set to revolutionise the current market.

Georgie set up Admiral in 2004 following a career with McCann-Erickson in the Middle East and as head of PR and public affairs for software giant, Sage.