HOLYWOOD based PR agency Smarts Communicate has opened a new office in London as it seeks to expand its portfolio of international clients.
The firm said it had plans to add 10 new jobs this year, including seven in Holywood.
Smarts Communicate counts several global brands among its client list including Johnnie Walker, British Airways, BT and Lidl.
The company, which currently has a 45-strong workforce said it had experienced significant growth over the past two years.
The London office will be headed up by managing partner Helen Rainford, previously consumer creative director at Good Relations and formerly associate board director at Cake.
Meanwhile, Smarts is rebranding its Glasgow and Edinburgh office under the Smarts Communicate banner in what it described as "a move designed to provide greater opportunities for businesses seeking a UK networked service".
Smarts Communicate joint managing director Pippa Arlow said: "With 20 years of in-market experience and a decade of global PR experience behind us, our business has been transformed into a highly competitive international player and we believe the time is right to extend our operational footprint into London. This move allows us to compete on a wider scale and is the first in a number of exciting steps for us."
In 2014/15 Smarts Communicate won 21 awards for its global work, including CIPR Excellence and PR Week awards for best global campaign on behalf of Bushmills Irish Whiskey.
Smarts Communicate is part of MSQ Partners, a group of creative agencies that includes The Gate, Holmes & Marchant and twentysix.
The group has 25 regional and national offices around the world in locations including New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and San Francisco.
