New era for PR outfit Paver Smith after pre-pack

NORTH West PR firm Paver Smith has been reborn as Paver Smith LLP in a pre-pack administration deal, which sees Jon Brown take on the leadership role as managing partner.

All 24 staff of the Liverpool and Manchester-based company have transferred over to the new business.

Under the new structure directors Dougal Paver, Martyn Best and Rachel Smith have become senior partners, while senior managers Chris Hulme, Helen Strother and Jane Woodhead, have all acquired equity and become Partners in the new LLP.

Tom Taylor, the agency’s head of creative, is also made a partner with a brief to grow that side of the business.

Former Paver Smith chairman David Heal, has also bought in to the new entity and retains his role.

Former journalist Jon Brown, who sold his PR business, Factory Communications, to Paver Smith in 2008 said: “I’m excited and very confident about the challenge ahead.

“It’s a tough market but we have a great team here and the new boardroom and management roles lend Paver Smith LLP a robust shape to achieve secure and sustainable growth in 2011 and beyond. LLP is the modern way and the perfect structure for a professional services business like ours. We are keen to retain the best talent and reward long service.

“Chris, Helen, Jane and Tom add a very strong dimension to what we offer and will help the partnership deliver award-winning campaigns and provide board-level advice for businesses and organisations across the public and private sector.”

He said Paver Smith had enjoyed a “strong new business performance” in January. Late last year the firm made a handful of redundancies after being hit by the public sector cuts.

Dougal Paver, the agency’s former managing director, added: “Jon was the outstanding candidate to head the executive that will take our partnership forward. 

“His management experience in the newspaper industry and establishing his own business has already proved invaluable to us and delivered some of our most significant client wins. By taking on these boardroom responsibilities Jon will also afford me the opportunity to oversee a number of key areas for business growth.”