Hill & Knowlton UK unveils its new agency model

LONDON — Hill & Knowlton UK (H&K) CEO Richard Millar has announced the completion of a re-design of the agency based on a new organising principle.

With immediate effect, H&K’s 200+ strong London office will be organised by the industry sectors it serve not the practices it sells.

Millar said: “Today we have swept away the traditional practice areas and created a sector based business model that emulates the deep industry knowledge of the very best niche players and boasts a broader service offer than the biggest agencies in town.

The notion of practices as an organising principle is outdated. Client needs cannot be neatly bundled into the practice areas that we define – be they corporate reputation, marketing communications or public affairs. What issue, for example, of public policy does not have at least the potential to have a direct impact on consumers or an impact on how that company is thought of by its myriad stakeholders?

In this new organisation each industry focussed team will encompass all of the capabilities required to deliver seamless, integrated communications solutions to a client’s business or communication challenge. And, this will be married to an intimate knowledge of the language and landscape of our clients. That’s our promise”.

The nine industries that will form the foundations for the new agency are:

* Consumer packaged goods
* Energy and industrials
* Financial and professional services
* Food and drink
* Healthcare and wellbeing
* Retail and leisure
* Sports
* Technology
* Third sector

Each sector will offer specialist industry expertise across all disciplines from corporate affairs to consumer pr to public affairs and will fully integrate traditional and digital communication, but the emphasis will be on depth of knowledge of the industry. This will allow H&K to not just meet client needs more broadly but also to anticipate them.

H&K’s new model will be implemented immediately.