News in brief

CORPORATE
Publicis Groupe has bought a controlling stake in Capital MS&L, Manning Selvage & Lee's financial PR arm. The firm now controls 51 per cent of the agency. Publicis Consultants' Nick Bastin has joined Capital MS&L as director.

AGENCY
Former GCI Europe chairman Adrian Wheeler is to acquire a minority share in PR management consultancy Gyroscope. He will help 'develop Gyroscope's international franchise'.

CORPORATE
Direct-debit group Voca has hired College Hill to its £500,000 UK and European corporate comms brief after a review (PRWeek, 9 Dec 2005). The agency will aid Voca's expansion following its rebranding from Bacs (Bankers' Automated Clearing Service). Band & Brown Communications was the incumbent.

CONSUMER Taylor Herring PR has seen off Resonate and Brave PR to hang on to its account for the Guinness World Records annual book launch and Guinness World Records Day. The business was put up for competitive pitch earlier this year.

AGENCY
Consumer and B2B agency icas PR has brought in industry veteran Steve Gebbett as a creative consultant, while promoting account director Nicola Wise to creative director. Gebbett will continue part-time at Four Communications.

CONSUMER
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has appointed Andrea Knowles as UK & Ireland PR manager. She joins from an associate director role at travel agency BGB Communications.

CORPORATE
Information company Experian has recruited James Taylor as corporate press relations manager. Taylor was formerly a senior account manager at Bite PR.

CONSUMER
Indian food maker East End Foods has brought in Golley Slater as its first retained agency.