Red Consultancy names first operations and innovation MD | PR Week

The agency said that as well as a major focus on driving innovation across client work, Morgan’s wide-ranging role will span training, diversity, and sustainability.

The managing director role at Life – which focuses on food and drink, wellbeing and beauty – will be taken by the division’s former deputy MD, Perena Barrett.

The news follows the recent appointment of Isobel Coney as the first agency-wide managing director at the London-based corporate-to-consumer firm.

Agency chief executive Mike Morgan said: “Red Consultancy has always set a high bar for services and solutions and this new role will ensure there is an even greater focus on ensuring our clients’ developing needs are met right across the agency. Emily’s deep client experience and passion for problem-solving makes her a perfect fit for the role.

“Perena has proved herself as an inspiring leader of people and major clients over the long term and she is admirably qualified to take on the Life leadership role.”

Morgan, who joined Red Consultancy in 2000, said: “This is a time of great opportunity in communications, and I am excited to have a role where I can focus fully on the agency’s ambitions to build on its outstanding reputation for new thinking.”

Barrett said: “The stellar clients and the talented people which make up Life are everything I could ask for in a leadership opportunity and I am thrilled to step up into the new role.”

Huntsworth-owned Red Consultancy suffered a 19 per cent drop in UK revenues during 2020 to £10.4m. However, over the past 12 months it has added several high-profile consumer clients including Sky Mobile and Sony PlayStation.

The agency has also strengthened its financial services offer through a strategic alliance with Huntworth sister agency Citigate Dewe Rogerson (corporate and financial). The agencies are now co-located in Red Consultancy’s Soho offices and were recently jointly appointed by Virgin Money.