PARIS: GCI Europe celebrates fee growth

Fee income for GCI Europe jumped by around 30 per cent last year to

dollars 14.4 million (pounds 10 million) from dollars 10.9 million

(pounds 7 million) in 1994. European public relations business

represented 35.8 per cent of the group’s worldwide revenues - a one per

cent increase on 1994. GCI Europe chairman Jerome Lascombe said that

agencies in the UK and France had performed particularly well. ‘I think

Europe will be one of the main areas of growth,’ he said. ‘I don’t know

if we will carry on at the same pace in 1996, but the situation is

rather good.’

BERNE: Industry office seeks PR boost

Switzerland’s department for industry and employment, the Office Federal

des Arts et Metiers et du Travail, is looking for a PR agency to help

boost foreign investment in the country. The three-year campaign will

target businesses in Germany, the USA and South East Asia and involves

press relations, events management and the production of brochures and

other material. The offer is open to Swiss PR firms with an

international capability. The deadline for tenders is 17 April.

AMSTERDAM: Easy Jet takes off with H&K

Easy Jet, the independent UK airline, has picked Hill and Knowlton

Nederland to handle its public relations in the Netherlands. The agency

beat off competition from Bikker Communicatie, Presstige PR and

Continental PR for the account. Work will focus initially on the launch

of Easy Jet’s service between Luton and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol this

month. The airline, which operates cut price flights to Glasgow,

Aberdeen and Edinburgh, plans to open a new route to Nice and other

European destinations later this year.

PARIS: Walbro hunts first European PR

Walbro Automotive, the US car parts manufacturer, is on the verge of

hiring its first PR consultancy in Europe. The company, which makes

precision fuel systems, set up its European headquarters in Paris last

year and is keen to raise its profile among vehicle and engine

manufacturers. Manning Selvage and Lee and Burson-Marsteller are

believed to have been shortlisted for the account. Work is likely to

focus on the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Norway where Walbro

Automotive runs manufacturing plants.

ASNIERES: I&E to encourage re-location

Information et Entreprise has been hired by the municipality of Asnieres-sur-Seine to run a year long campaign to encourage French

businesses to locate in the city. Situated north west of Paris, Asni쳌res

is keen to attract more industry without damaging the environment. The

project is worth around FFr500,000 (pounds 65,000) in fees.

WARSAW: BA picks First for Polish travel

British Airways has appointed First Public Relations as its first PR

agency in Poland. Reporting to Bernd Wietfeld, the airline’s public

affairs manager for northern and eastern Europe, the agency will promote

BA to both leisure and business travellers. The account will be led by

First’s owner and president Piotr Czarnowski. Six other public relations

firms pitched for the business.

edited by John-Pierre Joyce