BakerBaird builds London link-up through partnership with Allegory
Two PR agencies have joined forces to create an East Midlands-London partnership aiming to build a regional network across England
Nottingham-based BakerBaird Communications’ portfolio includes some of the region’s most significant economic initiatives, including the £4bn East Midlands Combined County Authority, the East Midlands Freeport and the East Midlands Development Corporation.
It is led by co-founders Richard Baker, a former daily newsroom deputy editor, and Stuart Baird, who was director of communications for government in the Midlands. It also works with local and national government, the NHS and technology and built environment businesses.
It is partnering with Allegory, which is based in Shoreditch and was founded by Emma Thwaites, a former BBC news editor who became deputy director of strategic communications at the Cabinet Office and global policy and corporate affairs director for the Open Data Institute.
Now headed up by CEO Charlotte McLeod, the business specialises in delivering campaigns for leading universities, research organisations and data and AI projects for various companies and academic institutions.
Baird said: “This time last year, BakerBaird was supporting a Midlands client to host a major event in the House of Commons and it has been our ambition to expand the influence of our clients in the capital. We knew we needed an agency with aligned values, client base and experience. Allegory is a perfect fit.
“Equally Allegory has built a reputation based on excellent delivery for influential clients, such as the AgriTech Centre, and Alan Turing Institute and brings something different to the East Midlands”.
Thwaites said: “Allegory is an insight-driven business with a strong national presence and beyond. We have deep expertise in science, data and technology, working with academic, public sector and private sector clients.
“We’ve been actively seeking a regional partner to broaden our reach. BakerBaird stands out as a rare gem outside of the capital – they’ve managed high-stakes campaigns, their team is exceptionally skilled, and they have the expertise to deliver for large-scale clients, much like those we work with.”
The move will see the agencies collaborating on a number of new ventures to provide national impact and influence for clients.
Baird added: “We’ve been privileged to work on major projects for clients ranging from regional and local government to national and international initiatives. We deliver high-impact campaigns and build valuable relationships and our partnership with Allegory offers the perfect opportunity to expand the work we do together.”
