BECG (Built Environment Communications Group) has acquired public affairs consultancy, Cavendish, and re-launched the business as Cavendish Advocacy.

Cavendish Advocacy brings together in-depth national and international public affairs expertise with innovative digital communications, creating a leading political advocacy business advising clients how to succeed in our fast-moving and interconnected world.

Cavendish Advocacy will continue to trade as a separate company under the refreshed cavendishadvocacy.com brand. With a 17-year track record in government relations advocacy across the UK and internationally, Cavendish’s clients include Google, Starbucks, Infosys, Aster Group, Keolis and Canal & River Trust.

With a world more digitally connected than ever before, Cavendish clients will be able to benefit from integration with BECG’s digital and social media expertise. Cavendish will also benefit from BECG’s UK office network, with teams based in Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham and its understanding of devolved and regional government.

BECG’s existing government relations clients will have access to Cavendish’s established national and international network, expertise, and experience in political advocacy and government relations. This will strengthen both companies’ ‘levelling up’ service support for clients across the North and Midlands to capitalise on the Government’s priorities to invest in the region.

The founder of Cavendish, Alex Challoner, who has a 25-year track record in political advocacy, will continue as the Managing Director of Cavendish and join the Main Board of BECG reporting to BECG CEO, Stephen Pomeroy.

Director of BECG in the North, Kevin Whitmore, said:

“BECG’s North & Midlands teams are looking forward to working with Cavendish Advocacy as we help to drive investment into our built environment across the region. Our combined regional knowledge and national political reach means we can continue to help clients capitalise on the opportunities presented by the Government’s levelling-up agenda.”

CEO of BECG Stephen Pomeroy, said:

“Continuous change is the new-normal across the globe and this acquisition and re-launch of Cavendish Advocacy, which we initiated at the beginning of 2020, provides clients with the digital advocacy services they need to secure commercial success.

Covid-19 is posing a huge challenge to the UK but in many respects, it will result in an intensification of the Government’s pre-Covid agenda. This will manifest itself as a combination of regional, national, and international policy initiatives and we have positioned Cavendish Advocacy to offer thinking, insights, and strategy to help clients navigate this landscape and succeed.

This is also an important step to deliver more rapid growth for BECG by offering these sector leading government relations advocacy services to existing clients in the built environment and with Cavendish on board we see fresh development opportunities as the government announces the infrastructure, energy, housing and green agenda for growth”.

Alex Challoner, Cavendish founder said:

“Cavendish and BECG are looking to the future. The onset of Covid 19 will mean the delivery of the government’s agenda in terms of growth, levelling the UK regions & as the UK resets its relationship with the rest of the world outside the EU over the next few years.

Cavendish Advocacy & BECG are uniquely placed to take advantage of this agenda and provide services and advice to our clients that meet the challenges of the coming years.

With BECG’s resources behind us we look forward to scaling up our political advocacy work in the UK and globally, and to offering clients innovative communications solutions that help them achieve commercial success in this new world post Covid 19.”