Beattie, the creative communications group which has one of its main offices in Manchester, has appointed Eileen Stretton, former MD at Golley Slater PR North.
The newly created Client and Business Development Director role, based in the north of England, will see Eileen join Beattie Director Rachel Gladwin’s team and is the group’s fifth major signing for 2017.
Eileen was recruited directly for the position and will focus on maximising Beattie’s skills set nationally for new and existing clients, giving brands access to the largest regional communications network in the UK.
London-headquartered, Beattie has nine offices alongside Manchester including Birmingham,Leeds,Glasgow, Edinburgh and the south of England.
Eileen said: “Beattie is a dynamic and constantly evolving integrated communications business. As well as its London HQ and track record in delivering big brand, national strategies, the Beattie set-up is hugely attractive to clients with a regional network of their own. It offers the very best people on the ground where often clients need them most.
“The opportunity to work alongside Rachel and the truly talented 130-strong Beattie team across the UK is so exciting for me; I was thrilled to be approached. I am joining at a great time, when I feel my skills and background can make a big contribution to the agency’s ongoing success story.”
Rachel Gladwin said: “Many brands come to us because we are experts in creating transformational ideas that cascade from national to regional audiences and influencers. We are tuned in to the power of regional communications and know how to saturate every channel to give brands the edge. With the hire of a senior head, focused on these relationships, we are playing to our strengths and responding to the needs of our clients. Eileen’s brief is to capitalise on the runaway success of our network as we believe this is the key to our continued growth.
“Eileen’s longstanding track record of new business wins, and her passion for doing the best quality work in the region, will be a huge asset to our growing businesses, notably across Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. The reality is that national brands are investing in communications programmes across the regions, and are not just looking for London-only agency teams. We are uniquely positioned to deliver both.”
Stretton has 18 years’ experience in PR. She began her career at Burson- Marsteller and progressed through the ranks at the Red Consultancy and Cow PR, before moving in house as Head of Consumer Media and Brand Campaigns at Morrisons supermarkets. Latterly she was MD at Golley Slater North.
Among the big names who have joined Beattie since January are Kevin Roberts, the former global CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi and former Grayling CEO Alison Clarke.
Clarke heads up Beattie’s Only Marketing boutique, the umbrella brand for Only Retail, Only Health and Only Tech while Roberts is chairman of Beattie Group.