The Berlin office – the eighth in the DeVries Global network – will be led by Kerstin Diehl, who joins as managing director.
Diehl will work closely to European managing director Helena Bloomer, with both reporting to global CEO Heidi Hovland.
The Interpublic consumer PR specialist, which is headquartered in New York, also has offices in London, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taipei.
PRWeek estimates DeVries Global is the 61st largest PR consultancy with annual revenues of $32.35m and 176 staff.
The Berlin office launches with Zippo Manufacturing Company as a foundation client – an expansion of DeVries’ global remit with the lighter manufacturer.
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Diehl brings more than 15 years of experience in the beauty, fashion and lifestyle industries, and has lived in the US, Switzerland and Germany.
She served as head of international PR and marketing at luxury fashion label Phillip Plein.
More recently, she was director of lifestyle marketing at Nicole Weber Communications – a Hamburg-based PR agency – working on clients including Henkel, GM and Douglas.
"Becoming part of the DeVries family makes me very proud, and because the agency’s values very much reflect my own, it also feels like coming home," Diehl said.
"DeVries delivers a fresh and distinctive proposition to the market, built on a culture-first approach, with a high-touch, premium sensibility and deep expertise in marketing to women."
The German office will work closely with its European HQ in London, DeVries Global UK, which employs 50 people and has clients including Zippo, P&G, PepsiCo, Johnson & Johnson, Krispy Kreme, HUDA Beauty and more.
Bloomer has led the London agency since it was established in 2012 and was elevated to regional MD of Europe in 2016.
"We continually evolve our business offering to answer and predict our clients’ needs," Bloomer said.
"Given Germany’s position as one of the strongest performing markets in Europe, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing increasing interest in dedicated support there, both with existing clients and new business wins."
Global boss Hovland points out that the German PR industry is dominated by large, global agencies and independent specialists.
"Our unique opportunity is as a global network with the boutique feel of the highest-performing independents," she said.
"DeVries specialises in consumer marketing, and we’re excited to deliver our industry-leading expertise, marked by award-winning results for some of the best brands in the world, to the largest consumer market in Europe."
