Ask Jeeves recruits UK corporate PR head

Ask Jeeves, the ’question and answer’ internet service, has

recruited Nick Mason Pearson as its first UK head of corporate PR.

The former Text 100 senior consultant started in his new role as

director of corporate communications this week.

Until now, Ask Jeeves UK has integrated all communications into its

marketing department, using external agencies Text 100 for

business-to-business PR and Joe Public Relations for consumer PR.

Mason Pearson’s position was created to oversee and co-ordinate all PR

and communications for Ask Jeeves in the UK and Ireland.

Part of his remit will also be to carry out a full PR review and liaise

closely with Ask Jeeves US in California.

’The brief is to look at what we should and could be doing in consumer,

business-to-business and corporate communications,’ said Mason

Pearson.

’It’s a broad remit, which is why I’m glad we have two agencies

experienced with Ask Jeeves to handle the day-to-day PR, while I can

concentrate on strategy.’

Mason Pearson, who led the account at Text, where he worked for three

years, will report to the Ask Jeeves marketing vice-president, Adrian

Cox.

Mason Pearson remains the only dedicated PRO at Ask Jeeves UK, but he

said recruitment is possible next year to build up an internal PR

team.

Ask Jeeves appointed Joe Public Relations on a consumer brief in

January, followed by hi-tech PR agency Text 100 in May to handle all UK

business-to-business PR.

Last month, it launched Ask Jeeves for Business, an internet service

which enables people to ask questions about companies.

Currently, Ask Jeeves UK deals with half a million questions a day and

has become one of the top ten most popular internet sites in Britain.