NatWest Ventures, the venture capital arm of the NatWest banking group,
has hired Financial Dynamics to raise its profile in the City and
promote new investment.
Appointed late last month without a competitive pitch, the agency will
work with NatWest Ventures’ in-house staff of two to increase its
coverage in the national press. The aim is to target company directors
and owners seeking to inject venture capital to expand their businesses.
‘A few years ago venture capital was quite a sexy topic and everyone was
writing stories on it’ explained Helen Walsh, NatWest Ventures marketing
director. ‘Now it’s a very competitive business and we need the
expertise of an agency like Financial Dynamics to help us to promote
ourselves.’
The account team will be led by FD’s financial services director Henry
Gewanter, who was head of advertising and deputy head of public
relations at NatWest’s investment banking arm between 1986 and 1988.
Walsh, who was formerly head of communications at the British Venture
Capital Association, has known Gewanter for several years and FD’s
appointment was made on the basis of that personal connection.
‘Financial Dynamics and Brunswick are probably the best City agencies,
and as I knew Henry I felt I could develop an effective relationship
with them,’ said Walsh.
NatWest Ventures has invested around pounds 800 million since it was set
up 20 years ago. It has a portfolio of some 300 companies, including
three subsidiaries of the chemicals group Laporte, bought in September.
