BUDAPEST: Polgar takes over at H&K
Viktor Polgar has been appointed managing director of Hill and Knowlton
Hungary. He replaces founder Andy Gollner, who is returning to Canada to
take up the chair of political economy at Concordia University,
Montreal. Polgar is a former diplomat and was most recently director of
communications for the Hungarian Privatisation and State Holding
Company. H&K is Hungary’s second biggest PR agency with clients
including Tesco, PepsiCo, Nissan and the ministries of transport and the
interior.
BRUSSELS: Generali shortlists two
Italian insurance group Generali is looking for a PR agency to help
raise its corporate profile in Belgium. Two agencies have been
shortlisted for the account: Attitudes Public Relations and
Communication Partners. Pitches for the media relations programme will
take place next week.
LONDON: Woodstock Leasor launches pils
Elbrewery, the largest producer of beer in central and eastern Europe,
has hired Woodstock Leasor to manage the UK launch of EB Special Pils,
its biggest selling beer in Poland. A public relations specialist for
central and eastern Europe, the agency will manage a promotional
campaign which includes introducing the beer at food and drink shows and
at Polish sporting and cultural events. ‘So far the association has
worked out brilliantly,’ said Wojtek Olczak, managing director of EB
(UK), Elbrewery’s UK sales arm.
PARIS: Text 100 takes over Cisco PR
Cisco Systems, the US computer inter networking company, has handed its
PR account to Text 100 following the financial collapse of its previous
PR adviser Neuf Associes last month (PR Week, 13 September). ‘We will
use local industry opinions and case studies as tools to promote Cisco’s
product value,’ said Patrick Frison-Roche, general manager at Text 100
in France. The contract is worth around pounds 48,000 a year in fees.
Text 100 already co-ordinates Cisco’s European PR from London.
BRUSSELS: Interel seeks health specialist
Interel is hunting for a UK healthcare agency to join Euromed, its
international medical PR network. Interel was previously aligned with
MC2 but the relationship ended after MC2 went into receivership last
year and was subsequently bought by Lowe Bell Communications. It now
operates as Green Moon Healthcare. Jean-Leopold Schuybroek, managing
director of Interel, said that Euromed would also consider a partnership
with another network.
PARIS: Honours for Moreau Lascombe
Moreau Lascombe GCI has been named Public Relations Agency of the Year
and handed a special award for public communication by the 17th Grand
Prix des Agences de l’Annee. The annual prize honours the creativity and
business success of advertising and public relations firms. ‘It rewards
the work we’ve done to increase the fidelity and satisfaction of our
clients,’ said Gilles Moreau, president of Moreau Lascombe GCI.
edited by John-Pierre Joyce