BA is restructuring its in-house communications team, putting
greater emphasis on internal communications and media relations. It is
also reviewing all 57 accounts held by PR agencies outside the UK.
The airline will review the past performance of all its agencies and
hold pitches in markets where it hopes to improve its
representation.
The agencies report to David Budgen, appointed head of international
communications in March this year.
The airline has decided to increase its communications spend, which is
unspecified but runs into several millions, following a difficult summer
in which the launch of its new livery was marred by a high profile cabin
crew strike.
Communications director Kevin Murray is also recruiting externally for a
chief media officer to handle the massive increase in coverage of BA,
and a head of employee communications. The two new jobs will bring the
number of senior managers reporting to him to six.
Michael Blunt, who ran BA’s newsdesk, has been moved to take charge of
communications for the crew, flight operations and engineering.
Andrea Matthews, currently head of communications strategy, will become
head of account management for corporate resources like the legal and
finance departments.
In most countries BA retains small local agencies, one-man operators or
uses an in-house team. It is unlikely to consolidate PR across several
markets with a single agency.
