PTCM.L Regulatory News (PTCM)

Wednesday, 2 March 2016

Porta Communications Plc ("Porta", "the Group" or "the Company")

Appointment of Chief Operating Officer

Porta Communications Plc (AIM: PTCM), the international marketing and communications group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Gavin Devine as Chief Operating Officer (COO). He joins Porta from MHP Communications, where he was Chief Executive Officer. Gavin will join Porta's Executive Committee, which reports to the Group's Board.

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As COO of Porta, Gavin will oversee the continued integration of the Group, ensuring that the various divisions collaborate effectively and take advantage of all available synergies. Gavin will also play a leading role in the further development of the public affairs and corporate communications capabilities within the Group.

Gavin brings significant experience to this role having successfully integrated three agencies to create MHP Communications, a multi-award winning agency delivering financial PR and investor communications, corporate PR and public affairs, health, and consumer and brand PR. Gavin also led the acquisition and integration of The Consultancy in Hong Kong into MHP, and built strong strategic relationships with communications businesses around the world, including in the US, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia.

Prior to his role at MHP Communications, Gavin was a senior official in the House of Commons for over ten years before joining public affairs boutique agency AS Biss & Co in 2004. Gavin played a key role in the agency's merger with Republic PR to form Mandate Communications, where he became COO in 2008. Mandate Communications then merged with Hogarth and Penrose in 2010 to form MHP Communications, and Gavin was appointed COO of the enlarged group, later becoming CEO.

Gavin has delivered strategic communications advice to high-profile clients, including EDF Energy, Network Rail, Kraft Foods, Crossrail, Siemens plc, the RSPCA, RSA Group, Huawei and HS2 Limited. He is an expert in advising major infrastructure projects, especially in the transport and energy sectors.

Gavin holds a politics degree from the University of York, and an MBA from the Open University Business School. He is a former Vice Chair of the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC), and a current member of the Board of Management of the PRCA. He is a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post, and regularly comments on politics, the economy and the business environment.

Commenting on the appointment, Porta CEO David Wright, said:

"Gavin is our second senior hire in less than six months. We are building a significant integrated consultancy that has the specialist expertise necessary to service the communications needs of major organisations under one roof. Gavin's appointment will help us to build on the considerable progress that we have already made in building an integrated offer and winning more blue chip clients."

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Enquiries:

Porta Communications Plc

www.portacomms.com

David Wright, Chief Executive

Gene Golembiewski, Finance Director

 +44 (0) 20 7680 6500

Sanlam Securities UK Limited

Simon Clements / Virginia Bull

+44 (0) 20 7628 2200

Redleaf Communications - Media Enquiries

Charlie Geller / Harriet Lynch

+44 (0) 20 7382 4769

Notes to Editors:

Porta has two divisions:

• Communications - financial, corporate and consumer public relations, public affairs and research

• Marketing & Advertising - multi-capability marketing, brand and creative communications

The Group currently has offices in Aberdeen, Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Brisbane, Bristol, Canberra, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Hong Kong, London, Manchester, Melbourne, Singapore and Sydney.

The brands and companies it owns are: Newgate Communications, PPS Group, Redleaf Communications, 13 Communications, Publicasity, 2112 Communications and Summit Marketing Services.

Porta Communications' corporate website is - www.portacomms.com.