Ludgate is to lose its deputy chairman David Simpson and two key
staff from its City PR division, but has announced that it is in
negotiations to buy a financial PR agency.
Ludgate, which was bought by marketing services giant Interpublic in
1997 to form part of its Weber PR Worldwide brand, has been talking to
both public affairs and financial PR agencies over the past few
months.
Chief executive Robin Hepburn said: ’Acquisition is very much on the
agenda. We have identified a number of parties and are particularly
talking to one.’ The agency is understood to be a UK financial
boutique.
Meanwhile, Ludgate, which also offers corporate and financial services
PR, is negotiating with David Simpson and financial division directors
Mike Tate and Terry Garrett about their departure. Hepburn said they
were not being made redundant.
Simpson refused to comment on the circumstances of his departure. ’We
are working full time to ensure our clients receive their contracted
service,’ he said.
Simpson joined Ludgate in 1995 as chief executive after seven years as
managing director of Dewe Rogerson’s financial PR arm. Tate and Garrett
work as part of the 45-strong City PR team, under financial PR MD Reg
Hoare.
Last Christmas, Ludgate closed part of its corporate PR division, with
ten job losses.
