Luther Pendragon has been appointed by global media giant TCI, amid
rumours that the consultancy is itself the target of a takeover by a
leading advertising agency.
The agency was hired last month by London-based Tele-Communications
International on a mixed PR and Parliamentary affairs brief. The
business is the UK subsidiary of the world’s leading cable operator, TCI
which has major stakes in TeleWest, Discovery Communications and
Flextech.
Luther Pendragon’s retained appointment follows previous project work
for the company, including support for the recent negotiations between
Flextech, Discovery Communications and the BBC, on the development of
subscription channels.
Meanwhile George Pitcher, Luther Pendragon’s joint managing director,
has declined to comment on speculation that a major UK advertising group
wants to buy the agency.
The unnamed agency, which already owns a PR shop, is thought to have
been attracted by Luther Pendragon’s corporate strengths, and is
believed to have offered around pounds 5 million for the firm.
Luther Pendragon, set up almost five years ago by Pitcher, a former
Observer industrial editor and Charles Stewart-Smith, a past editor of
News at Ten, is not yet thought to have decided whether it will take up
the offer, but negotiations are continuing.
