Jobs go at HHCL unit in wake of Texaco move

Crispin Jamieson, CEO of Heresy, confirmed that one person had been made redundant, while another had taken voluntary redundancy.

Last month, the oil giant ChevronTexaco moved its advertising account from HHCL & Partners to Young & Rubicam. Although Heresy operates as a separate entity from HHCL, it operates under the same group and shares some clients.

According to Jamieson: "Two people are in the process of leaving as a result of reduced fees on two pieces of business, Texaco being one."

Earlier this year, Chime Communications merged Heresy with the internet consultancy Digital Experiences, to form one a new agency with staff of around 40 and billings of £35m. Its biggest clients include Ocado, the online shopping service for Waitrose.

In October, Toby Rowland left the agency, where he was a principal consultant, to become vice-president of global communications at the online matchmaking service uDate.

Chime is in negotiations with the WPP Group to sell HHCL & Partners, which WPP could then incorporate into its Red Cell advertising network.

The company, headed by Lord Bell, is struggling with the downturn in advertising and public relations, with its Bell Pottinger network feeling the pinch as mergers and acquisition work in the City has virtually dried up over the past year.

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