PTCM.L Regulatory News (PTCM)

27 April 2018

Porta Communications Plc

("Porta" or the "Company" or the "Group")

Appointment of New Joint Chief Executive Officers and Board Changes

Porta Communications Plc (AIM: PTCM), today announces the appointment of Emma Kane, Chief Executive of Redleaf Communications, and Brian Tyson, Managing Partner of Newgate Australia, as Joint Chief Executive Officers of Porta.

The appointments mark a significant strategic step for Porta aimed at creating a more integrated global operation. Since its establishment in 2011, Porta has created and acquired an impressive roster of individual agencies across the UK, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Middle East, together with strategic partnerships in Europe and North America. The Group is now committed to bringing together the best of what it does regionally, nationally and internationally, by leveraging the expertise from its individual businesses for the wider benefit of the Group.

Emma has been appointed to the board of Porta and her first responsibility will be to combine Porta's two largest London-based communications businesses, Newgate and Redleaf, and to lead the enlarged UK agency as its Chief Executive. She founded Redleaf Communications in 2000 and, in 2010, acquired and successfully integrated Polhill, a leading financial services PR agency. Since Redleaf was acquired by Porta in May 2014, under Emma's leadership, the agency has won numerous industry awards and its revenues have grown by 27% and profits after tax by 53%. Today it is one of the UK's most successful corporate and financial communications agencies, known for its specialisms in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, issues and crisis management and media relations.

The combined Redleaf/Newgate operation will have 100 professional staff with offices in London, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester. The wider international Newgate network includes offices in Europe, Australia, China, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Middle East.

Brian Tyson is the founding Managing Partner of Newgate Australia which was created in 2013. He was appointed to the board of the Porta in 2017. Brian has helped the Australian business to become the leading strategic communications firm in the country and the largest and most profitable part of the Group, achieving strong growth and profitability using an integrated business model which combines financial communications, public affairs, corporate communications, digital, stakeholder and community engagement and the market leading market research business.

Steffan Williams, who was previously the Group's Chief Executive Officer, has left the Group with immediate effect and will cease to be a director of Porta on or before 5 May 2018.

John Foley, Chairman of Porta commented: "Redleaf has been a great acquisition for Porta and it now makes absolute strategic sense to combine the business with Newgate and create an enlarged business to capitalise on the expertise and proven track records of the exceptional people at both firms.

"In Australia, from start up five years ago with a core group of 8 people in offices in Sydney and Melbourne, the business now has more than 100 professional staff and opened additional offices in Canberra, Brisbane and Perth.

"Together, Brian and Emma will give us the leadership we need on both sides of the world to help roll out an integrated offering in our major markets, by learning from each other, replicating the specialist skills and services that exist in some markets, and adopting best practice in all markets to the benefit of clients internationally."

Further information on Emma Kane

Emma Victoria Kane (aka Rosenblatt) (aged 50) has held the following directorships and/or partnerships in the past five years:

Pursuant to a sale and purchase agreement dated 23 April 2014, Porta acquired 51 per cent. of Redleaf Polhill and has subsequently increased its interest in Redleaf Polhill to 81 per cent of the issued share capital (see announcement dated 14 June 2017). Under the terms of the sale and purchase, the remaining 19 per cent. of the issued share capital of Redleaf Polhill not owned by Porta remains subject to further put and call options which are exercisable by the vendors of Redleaf and the Company respectively after the publication of the Company's audited results for the financial year to 31 December 2017. Emma Kane, together with her spouse, are interested in approximately 17.2 per cent. of Redleaf Polhill.

Emma Kane does not hold any interests in the share capital of Porta.

There is no further information to be disclosed in relation to Emma Kane's appointment pursuant to AIM Rule 17 or paragraph (g) of Schedule Two of the AIM Rules for Companies.

--ends-

The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. 

Enquiries to:

Porta Communications Plc

John Foley, Chairman

Gene Golembiewski, Executive Director

Rhydian Bankes, CFO

+44 (0) 20 7680 6500

Newgate Communications (Media Enquiries)

Bob Huxford

Adam Lloyd

James Ash

+44 (0) 20 7680 6550

porta@newgatecomms.com

Grant Thornton UK LLP (Nominated Adviser)

Samantha Harrison

+44 (0) 207 383 5100

N+1 Singer (Broker)

James Maxwell

Lauren Kettle

+44 (0) 20 7496 3000

Notes for Editors

· Porta is a fully integrated communications and marketing group with specialisms including financial, corporate and consumer public relations, public affairs and research and multi-capability marketing, brand and creative communications.

· The group has offices in Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Brisbane, Bristol, Canberra, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Hong Kong, London, Manchester, Melbourne, Perth, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney.

· The brands and companies it owns are Newgate Communications, Redleaf Communications, Publicasity and 2112 Communications.

· Further information on Porta Communications is available at www.portacomms.com 

Emma Kane - Chief Executive, Redleaf Communications

Emma has over 30 years of communications' experience gained working both in agencies and in-house at organisations such as ProShare as its first Head of Marketing Communications, and as Head of Investor Services at Charles Schwab. She specialises in financial and corporate communications, and crisis management. She is also the Chairman of the Barbican Centre Trust, Chairman of Target Ovarian Cancer, and a trustee of Nightingale Hammerson. She was awarded the Freedom of the City of London in 2017.

Brian Tyson - Managing Partner, Newgate Australia

With a consulting career spanning two decades, Brian is regarded as one of Australia's leading communications practitioners with expertise in strategic issues management, financial transactions, government relations, media management and community campaigning. Prior to his career in consultancy Brian was a political adviser to the NSW State Government and started his career as a journalist with Australia's leading national regional and rural newspaper, The Land. He is a Director of Porta Group plc, the Sydney Swans Australian Football Club, The Committee for Sydney, Temple Executive Search and the Clontarf Foundation.