Press Release
MERGER OF FIVE BRODEUR OFFICES IN EUROPE WITH EUROPEAN COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANTS FORMS TOP EUROPEAN CONSULTANCY AND EXPANDED WORLDWIDE RESOURCES
New Company Pleon Created in Europe; Executives and Board Announced
Boston, October 5, 2004 - Five European offices of Brodeur Worldwide have merged with the Germany-based European Communications Consultants (ECC) Group to form one of the largest communications consultancies in Europe with more than 600 employees in nine key European markets, it was announced today.
The combination of Brodeur and ECC offices, staff and clients will operate in Europe as Pleon, and will be part of an expanded global network, Brodeur/Pleon Worldwide, with offices and partners in U.S., Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The organization offers strong regional expertise and local presence on four continents, grounded with more than a decade of proven global program integration, standards and value.
The appointment of Pleon executives and a Brodeur/Pleon Worldwide Board was also announced today, including John Brodeur (Chairman, Worldwide), Rainer Zimmermann (CEO, Europe), Alex Schoep (President, Europe) and Andrea Coville (CEO, Americas and Asia).
Brodeur said the opportunity to create Pleon, "a European powerhouse with a decidedly European business model and expertise," is attractive to staff and clients on both sides of the Atlantic.
"While public relations and public affairs moved into Board-level decisions in the last decade," said Brodeur, "our clients were demanding highly flexible and innovative programs that took into account local, regional and global perspectives. And the full business, social and political implications have to be weighed, understood and addressed. That's where Brodeur/Pleon comes in – we 'get' how the big picture aligns with the smaller picture, and visa versa."
Pleon represents the merger of Brodeur agencies in France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and UK with the ECC Group, including market leaders ECC KohtesKlewes in Germany and Belgium, and ECC Publico in Austria. There are 23 offices in nine European countries.
There is no brand, operational or accounting changes for Brodeur in the U.S., as the staff and its Pleon colleagues continue to share clients, staff training and business development programs. Brodeur has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., New York, Phoenix and San Francisco.
"The creation of Pleon combines strength and depth in key marketing and communications disciplines, especially in public relations and public affairs, with an unrivalled European footprint," said Zimmermann. "The clients in Europe certainly appreciate national perspectives, but also understand that the new demands on business require broader and new thinking, different structures and marketing processes, and creative ways to sell products and respond to customers and competitors."
Zimmermann added that the flexible, decentralized management structure of Brodeur/Pleon Worldwide is "client centric and friendly," and is "geared to helping our clients navigate change and win in a tough business marketplace."
Pleon (pleon.com) and Brodeur (brodeur.com) are part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (omnicomgroup.com), a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
About the Board
John Brodeur (Chairman, Brodeur/Pleon Worldwide) began his career as a journalist, working for UPI and a general assignment reporter for two daily newspapers, and later worked on Capitol Hill, managing a Congressional staff and serving as a press secretary to a U.S. Senator. After graduate school, he founded the Brodeur/Martin Company, a public relations firm on the West Coast. Five years later in 1985, he moved to Boston where he started Brodeur & Partners, which became one of the world's largest high tech PR agencies. Brodeur Worldwide has been named PR Agency of the Year. Brodeur serves on several Boards and volunteers his time to many non profits.
Andrea Coville (CEO, Brodeur Worldwide U.S., Asia, Latin America) began her career as a journalist. In the early 1980s she began specializing in marketing communications first at a Cambridge, Mass. software company, and later at a West Coast-based PR firm. A founding partner at Brodeur Worldwide, for more than 17 years, Coville has provided strategic counsel to hundreds of companies, large and small. She currently serves as the partnership integrator with Omnicom and has experience in building cross-agency teams for healthcare, consumer, finance and technology-related campaigns.
Alex Schoep (President, Pleon, Europe) came from a corporate communications background where he gained special expertise in issue management and change management strategies. He later co-founded Schoep & Van der Toorn in Amsterdam, where he oversaw a staff of 80 marketing and communication professionals, and became president of Brodeur Worldwide in EMEA. Early in his career, he was a spokesperson for one of the leading Dutch political parties.
Rainer Zimmermann (CEO, Pleon, Europe) started his career as a journalist, then PR consultant at ABC/Eurocom, and eventually joined German PR firm, Kohtes Klewes, where he moved from Managing Director to Partner to CEO. He later shifted to the advertising world to become Managing Partner and CEO of BBDO Germany. Zimmermann remains a board member of BBDO Europe and is deputy president of the German Advertising Association (GWA) and board member of the Western German Communications Academy (WAK).
For additional information, companies can call 1.800.BRODEUR or send an email to info@brodeur.com. Founded in 1985, Brodeur (www.brodeur.com) is a leading strategic communications group with offices and partners around the world. Brodeur specializes in public relations, marketing and corporate communications in sectors such as technology, finance, health care and consumer. Brodeur is a recent PR Week Agency of the Year, part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC), and is headquartered in Boston, Mass.
Contact
Tracey Collins
Mirror Group Consulting
970.352.0888
traceyanncollins@gmail.com