GRAYLING STRENGTHENS UK-WIDE NETWORK WITH NORTHERN INVESTMENT

• Major expansion of Manchester presence
• Senior board member relocates to bolster leadership team in North

Grayling has today announced a series of investments that significantly bolster the agency’s footprint in Manchester and across the North.

Board member Kat McGettigan, who joined Grayling two years ago to lead its consumer practice, is relocating from the company’s London HQ to head up a significantly expanded Manchester presence and the agency’s wider investment programme across the North.

The move signals a major expansion for Grayling Manchester, which will now replicate the full-service offer of Grayling’s London HQ – providing consumer brand, corporate, public affairs, experiential and digital services to clients.

McGettigan will join Christopher Peacock, a former local councillor and local mayor, who will lead Grayling’s public affairs offer in the city. The team, which includes additional account handling hires made both internally and externally, will operate out of expanded premises in Deansgate and will work closely with Grayling’s established office in Leeds. It takes the company’s total headcount across Manchester and the North to 12.

Grayling Manchester will help service a number of the agency’s key networked clients including M&S, BT, YPO, Visa and HSBC, while recent wins including Eurovia UK, Mookie Toys and One Manchester will be serviced from both the Manchester and Leeds offices.

Grayling’s Manchester team will be supported by a bolstered central creative services team, IGNITE. The core IGNITE team, led by Grayling’s Head of Strategy and Planning, Nathan Kemp, is based in London with dedicated creative pairs in each office and a network of local creatives across the country. Kemp will work alongside McGettigan and Peacock to provide creative and strategic support to existing and new business clients in Manchester and across the North.

Commenting on the expansion plans, Jonathan Curtis, Grayling UK’s Managing Director said:

‘With nine offices across the UK we’ve always believed in a Britain beyond Zone 1 and with the Government’s levelling up agenda, now couldn’t be a more exciting time to be continuing to invest in our network.

Our offices around the country put us at a powerful advantage to continue to provide local insight and help our clients both navigate and capitalise on the opportunities presented by the changing social and political landscape across Britain.”

Marking her move to Manchester, Kat McGettigan, Head of Grayling Manchester, says:

‘This is a hugely exciting move – both personally coming back to the region – and at a time where Manchester and the wider region presents a unique set of opportunities for businesses. We’ve seen this from working with amazing companies HQ-ed here, through to brands wanting to make their mark and expand in the region.

I believe that with Grayling’s commitment to establishing a full-service Manchester agency, coupled with our unique ability to tap into our unrivalled UK wide network, we can truly offer something new and different to the incredibly talented Manchester agency scene.’

Henri Murison, Director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership welcomed the announcement from Grayling, commenting:

‘This further commitment into Grayling’s Manchester office is a welcome signal of intent and ambition from an award-winning global communications agency to expand its remit across the North.

This is the kind of investment we welcome to strengthen the quality of communications being delivered in the region for regional businesses and beyond.’