Clive Reeves says ‘You’re hired’ to new apprentice

BIRMINGHAM-based PR consultancy, Clive Reeves PR, has taken on a new apprentice with the help of a local entrepreneur who knows the painstaking recruitment process better than most.

Nick Holzherr, finalist on BBC1’s The Apprentice this year, put new recruit Lewis Chapman through his paces in a series of tasks designed to assess the candidate’s suitability for the PR role.

After the initial interview process, candidates were given five minutes to grill The Apprentice star on Whisk, the business he pitched to Lord Sugar and will launch later this year having secured £170,000 investment. Applicants were then given 30 minutes to draft a press release on the business and their efforts were judged by Holzherr and managing director of the consultancy, Clive Reeves.

Mr Chapman, 18, was selected after impressing a panel, made up of Clive Reeves PR and Whisk employees, with his direct line of questioning and excellent writing ability. He will now embark on a 12-month-long apprenticeship with the firm, in conjunction with industry trade body the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) and training provider Pearson in Practice.

Clive Reeves, managing director, said: “We are one of a growing number of PR consultancies in the Midlands to sign up to the apprenticeship scheme, as we firmly believe in the importance of providing young people with the opportunity to get their foot in the door of such a fantastic, fast moving industry.

“We enlisted the help of Nick not only to see how they reacted around a famous face, but also because after winning the Whisk account they will be working very closely with him in the future. Lewis had a real spark about him and we’re looking forward to helping him grow into a talented PR practitioner.”

drpgroup completes new sales and marketing team

FULL service communications agency the drpgroup has expanded its growing sales and marketing team with the appointment of Paul Nicholls as business development director.

Mr Nicholls joins the drpgroup board after leaving Grass Roots, where he spent 11 years as client services director working on a number of key strategic accounts.

Mr Micholls has 23 years experience in the industry. During his years at Grass Roots he oversaw the acquisition and development of a number of high profile accounts specifically in the area of events and communications but also across other disciplines.

The drpgroup has expanded its team further in recent months with Christina Meredith joining as sales assistant and Matthew Hayward taking a business development role. The group said the appointment of Mr Nicholls to head up the team and working with the PR and marketing department saw the completion of the sales and marketing team.

drpgroup managing director Dale Parmenter said: “Paul is an extremely knowledgeable individual who will be a vital addition to our team. We have a fantastic group of professionals in place who are using our PR and marketing strands to generate great new client relationships and Paul will come in at the top of this process.”

Jodie Cole on course for £100k turnover in first year

A BIRMINGHAM based social media expert has marked her first year in business with the appointment of two new members of staff.

Jodie Cole, aged 23, has also moved her business into new premises at the White Room Studios close to the city centre.

After a successful first 12 months, the business is targeting turnover of £100,000.
It has been a double cause for celebration for Ms Cole after she was also chosen by ex – Dragon’s Den entrepreneur James Caan to be one of the ambassadors for ‘StartUp Loans’, a scheme designed to help young entrepreneurs get their own businesses up and running.

She said: “I can’t believe that things are happening so fast. 12 months ago I was just starting up in business and I now expect to end my first financial year having taken turnover to £100,000 in that period.

“It was always my aim to have my own business and I saved a modest amount to get things off the ground by working an additional part time job whilst I was on a graduate scheme with the National Skills Academy for Social Care.”

She now has more than 25 clients from as far afield as Blackpool and Sheffield and demand is growing. Her client list is diverse and includes Birmingham-based Maverick TV, NHS Local and Sherborne Wharf.

She has worked with Graduate Advantage at Aston University to offer two paid internships to other graduates.