Grayling, the integrated global communications company, has invested in its northern team with a new leadership structure designed to develop its offer across the region.
Katie Eborall has been appointed as Head of North to bring together an integrated Public Relations, Public Affairs and Creative offer. Previously head of Grayling’s Leeds office, Eborall is a Director and has been responsible for four successive years of growth in Leeds. She will now develop the agency’s offer across the Leeds and Manchester offices, which includes a new Creative hub and specialist Reputation Management team.
As part of these plans, Andy Garner joins the team in Manchester to drive Grayling’s first dedicated IGNITE hub, Grayling’s central global strategic and creative team, outside of London. As Creative Director, he will work closely with Katie to develop the agency’s northern offer after a decade spent within the Engine group, most recently at MHP and Mischief.
Eborall said: “Our Leeds and Manchester offices have worked collaboratively for many years providing a full suite of best-in-class Consumer and Corporate Communications including Corporate Affairs, Public Affairs, Reputation and Crisis Management, Product Placement, Influencer Relations and Social Media. Bringing together these areas of expertise more formally will enable us to continue to respond to demand across sectors including Infrastructure, Property, Retail and Energy from clients who are increasingly seeing a benefit from a multidisciplinary approach.
“Grayling is moving at such a great pace and we’re really accelerating the strategic expertise we provide to clients. Andy’s appointment is a key part of that approach and a clear investment in the North and our Creative offer. Add to that our unmatched regional network, the combination of disciplines we offer and the fact that our talent is down-to-earth, happy and collaborative, Grayling continues to move from strength to strength.”
Eborall and Garner’s appointments are the latest in a continued investment from Grayling into its northern strategic, creative and design capabilities and follow client wins including Drax Power Station and Badoo.
Garner said: “Grayling’s Northern offer is unique – from a cross Public Relations and Public Affairs offer that is truly integrated, to an unmatched UK and Global network, it’s an exciting new challenge to work with local, national and international clients building out our creative offer in the work we do across the region and beyond.
“I’m looking forward to helping to strengthen and grow Grayling’s foothold across the North but also tapping into the incredible creative minds that the area has to offer. The Beatles, LS Lowry, James Rodriguez… The North has long history of producing and attracting brilliant creatives and the future is just as interesting.”
Commenting on the hires, Jonathan Curtis, Grayling’s Managing Director, said: “Our northern offer continues to deliver strong growth and attract the best talent in the industry. Katie’s proven track record in Leeds and her embedded knowledge of the north makes her a formidable force. We’ve invested heavily and consistently in ensuring we put brilliant strategic and creative thinking at the heart of everything we do, and Andy’s appointment will ensure we can continue to do that as our client base grows, globally and locally – one of the many reasons we were named as one of PR Week’s ones to watch this year.”
