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Avenir Global has acquired Cherry, a U.K.-based independent healthcare creative agency. Cherry’s leadership team, led by managing director John Goundry, will remain in place following the transaction. The acquisition is part of a sustained European expansion for the Montreal-based holding and management company of public relations and communication firms. Founded in 2005, Cherry has annual revenue of £9.2 million ($11.73 million) and 80 employees. Its client listing includes Baxter, Biomarin, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eisai, Reckitt Benckiser, Shire, SOBI and Vifor. AVENIR’s previous European acquisitions include AXON Communications and Madano. "With the transaction, Avenir Global's combined operations in the U.K. place us among the country's top 20 PR consultancies,” said managing partner Ralph Sutton.
 Jessica Snider |
LifeSci Public Relations has launched a social and digital media division and hired Jessica Snider to serve as its director. The new division will offer such services as social strategy and content development, influencer identification and engagement, community management and social media monitoring and listening. It will also establish social media best practices in accordance with global guidance from SEC, FTC, FDA, and European and other global regulators. Snider joins LifeSci from Intouch Solutions, where she most recently served as associate director, social media. She has created campaigns for multiple pharmaceutical companies and has worked across areas including immune disorders, oncology, neurological diseases, rare diseases, metabolic diseases and medical devices.
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Impact PR & Communications has announced the addition of a digital communications division. The new division’s capabilities include SEO analysis, customized social media trainings, content creation (social media content calendars and key message development), social media management and social media audits. To help launch the division, the agency is hosting a seminar, “Putting the Savvy in your Social Media,” on Jan. 17 from 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. (snow date: Jan 31). Seating is limited and advance registration is required. Impact also offers media relations, copy writing, cause-related marketing, social media support and speaker’s bureau services.
DJE Holdings, parent of Edelman and Zeno, launches RUTH as an independent shop named after Ruth Edelman, mental health advocate, wife and longtime business partner of Dan Edelman.
New York City PR firms make up the largest slice of O'Dwyer's 147 firm overall ranking with 33 of 40 in the New York/New Jersey area either calling Manhattan their home or having a presence there.
Subject Matter+Kivvit, which joined forces in May, has rebranded as Avoq, an integrated shop with more than 200 professionals in Washington, New York, Asbury Park (NJ), Miami and Chicago.
While PR pros stationed at in-house comms. teams and those working for agencies share many of the same objectives, they also have markedly different top priorities, according to a recent report.
Edelman is cutting 240 employees or about four percent of its workforce to cope with the cooling down of the PR sector, according to a memo from CEO Richard Edelman.
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