Hugh Birley, formerly managing director of Jane Howard PR (PR Week 6
October), has resurfaced at Lexis PR. Birley joined Lexis this week as
one of three share-holding directors, ending a six-month search by co-
founders Bill Jones and Tim Adams.
The move ends a period of uncertainty for Birley, who left Scope:
Communications in May to take up a new role as managing director of Jane
Howard. He left four months later, blaming ‘fundamental differences in
approach’ with agency chief Jane Howard.
During five years as a director of Scope, Birley handled accounts such
as McDonald’s, Halfords and Beefeater. He said he had been talking with
his new partners for ‘a couple of months’. Adams said the pair had
wanted to bring in a third director for some time and saw in Birley ‘a
like-minded person’.
As well as taking on some existing accounts, Birley will take a leading
role in developing new business, though Jones denied the agency was now
‘hell bent’ for growth.
Founded in 1992, Lexis now has 28 staff and projected fee income for
1995 of pounds 1.2 million. Clients include KFC, Energis, Superdrug and
Thorn Europe’s new retail chain Crazy George’s.
