Company history

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2011

January
Launched Open Health, the first channel and discipline neutral agency in the health communications sector.

March
Launched Chime Ventures to back entrepreneurs to fuel Chime's organic growth.

Essentially's hospitality team rebrand as Full Access Hospitality.

April
Acquired Icon who are market leaders in branding implementation for major sporting events.

Acquired healthcare PR company Lane, Earl & Cox (LEC) for Open Health.

May
Acquired Golden Goal Sports Ventures in Brazil for the Sports Marketing Division.

July
Acquired Reynolds-MacKenzie, a healthcare public relations company.

2010

January
Acquired Pelham, a financial PR company, now called Pelham Bell Pottinger.

March
Acquired Tree, a data analytics business.

Opened VCCP's office in Prague to service the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

April
Opened Pelham Bell Pottinger's office in Singapore.

July
Acquired pmplegacy, a global sports events consultancy.

September
Acquired acefieldwork, a face-to-face field research company.

November
Opened Fast Track's office in Hong Kong.

2009

January
Opened Bell Pottinger Middle East in Bahrain.

March
Acquire Ptarmigan in Leeds, now called Ptarmigan Bell Pottinger.

VCCP Health launched, an advertising agency specialising in the healthcare sector.

October
Opened The Sports Business office in London.

November
Acquired Essentially Group, a leading sports marketing, media, management and services company.

Set up Bell Pottinger Change & Internal Communications.

2008

January
Launched Brand Democracy, a consumer and campaign research company.

March
Launched Bell Pottinger Health, a healthcare public relations company.

Acquired MC-Bio Communications Ltd, a corporate healthcare public relations company, which became part of Bell Pottinger Health.

April
Acquired Bankbrae Holdings Ltd, trading as The Sports Business, a sports marketing and public relations company, based in Glasgow, which has become part of the Fast Track Group.

Opened VCCP's office in Berlin, Germany.

July
VCCP and Fast Track opened in Doha, Qatar.

August
Purchased a 40% stake in SomeOne, a design practice.

November
Launched Icon, an integrated brand communications agency.

December
Set up Caucus World, an online research company.

2007

January
Launched VCCP Blue.

February
Acquired a 75% stake in Facts International, a fieldwork research company.

April
Launched Bell Pottinger Communications USA LLC in Washington DC, USA.

Acquired Fast Track Sales Ltd and its subsidiaries. Fast Track is the UK’s leading sports marketing agency.

July
Opened Bell Pottinger Middle East in Abu Dhabi.

September
Acquired The Corporate Citizenship Company and The Corporate Citizenship Company Inc, a global corporate responsibility consultancy.

November
Acquired specialist sports public relations company Stuart Higgins Communications.

2006

January
Sale of remaining 51% of HHCL to WPP.

September
Launched VCCP Search, a dedicated search engine marketing agency.

2005

January
Launched Bell Pottinger Middle Eastin Dubai, UAE.

July
Acquisition of VCCP Limited, an integrated marketing services agency based in London.

Acquisition of Baxter Hulme, a public relations company based in Macclesfield.

September
Acquisition of De Facto Communications Ltd, a leading healthcare and life science public relations consultancy based in London.

2004

March
Placing and Open Offer and reduction of debt by £18.5 million to £10.8 million.

December
Acquisition of Traffic Werbeagentur GmbH, a German marketing communications consultancy.

2003

January
Sale of 49% of HHCL to WPP.

July
Set up Resonate, a consumer public relations company.

December
Acquisition of 70% of TTA Public Relations Ltd, a property marketing business.

2002
August
Acquisition of Ingram Group Promotions, a sales promotion business, now called Branded Moments of Truth (BMT).
2001

September
Acquisition of The Smart Company, a corporate and social responsibility consultancy, now merged into Corporate Citizenship.

October
Acquisition of MMK Markt & Medien Kommunikation GmbH, a consumer and corporate public relations business.

2000

March
Acquired Harvard Public Relations Ltd, Insight Marketing & Communications Ltd.

November
Acquisition of QBO, a PR company specialising in the consumer, business to business and public sector markets, now called Bell Pottinger Public Relations.

1999
Acquired Landmark Communications Ltd and Teamspirit Ltd.
1998

Acquired Opinion Leader Research Ltd.

Acquired Pure Media Ltd.

1997
Acquired HHCL Group Ltd with WPP taking 29.9% stake.
1994
Floated on the London Stock Exchange with initial market capitalisation of £19 million.
1989
Management buyout from Lowe Howard Spink & Bell plc.

 

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