Porter Novelli International (PNI) is merging its technology practice with specialist hi-tech agency and fellow Omnicom brand Copithorne and Bellows creating a single global brand.
The Porter Novelli Convergence Group will launch on 1 January, 2000 in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and the US. It is expected to expand further in Europe later in the year. The Convergence Group will have 400 employees in Europe and the US, and projected annual fees of almost pounds 35 million. It will be headed by Brussels-based operations director Dominic Lyle.
The biggest name clients for the Convergence group will be Hewlett Packard, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Peter Hehir, chairman of PNI, said the Convergence Group would be integrated into PNI, the world’s third largest PR firm.
The path was cleared for the new venture when Porter Novelli parted company from its technology PR brand, Brodeur, earlier this month (PR Week, 12 November). C&B has been an independent operating unit under Omnicom since 1995.
