PH Media to bolster board as it heads south

PH Media, the Manchester business which produces phone messages for businesses, is planning to beef up its board this year and focus on growth in the south east.

Founder Grant Reed told TheBusinessDesk that he was looking for a chairman and non-execs that would help grow the business.

“It would give us options,” he said. “I like to think they would bring value to the business.”

But he denied a sale was on the cards, giving an exit to Mr Reed, who holds half the shares, and private investors who helped him start the business in 1998.

“The primary focus is on growth, I’m not considering an exit at this stage. All the business books say you should run a business as if you’re getting ready to sell. We’re looking at non-execs, developing the product and looking after the clients we have.”

The business has around 6,000 clients including Coca-Cola, Selfridges and Air France, but Mr Reed is hoping to push growth in the south east by opening a London office this year. He plans to look at international growth in 2012 which could be through an acquisition on the Continent.

Mr Reed founded PH after returning from a stint working in Toronto, Canada, where he came across companies using slickly produced marketing messages instead of hold music.

It now employs around 100 staff at its Old Trafford headquarters and last year made a pre-tax profit of £1.3m on sales of £5.1m after seeing growth of some 50% in recent years. As well as producing hold messages the company installs the systems and handles all music-related licensing. These services account for around 80% of revenue, but the group has a growing radio arm which delivers radio stations for retailers.

“Companies spend lots of money on websites, letter heads and brochures but they sound crummy and tinpot, said Mr Reed. “It’s not just how you look, but how you sound that matters.”