WESTMINSTER-based public affairs and planning communications specialist Connect has merged with Belfast consultancy Stratagem, creating a £3m-revenue business with a headcount of 35.
While technically an acquisition, it is positioned as a merger, with Stratagem - founded to lead the successful ‘Yes’ campaign in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement referendum - continuing to operate with its own highly successful brand,and the combined entity becomes one of the UK’s largest public affairs focussed agencies that is independently owned.
Gráinne Walsh, Stratagem’s head of consultancy since 2013, will take over the role of director from Quintin Oliver. She will lead the Stratagem team in Belfast and become a member of the Connect leadership team.
Andy Sawford, managing partner of Connect, said: “Having grown our income organically by 50 per cent since 2016’s management buyout, Connect has been looking for the right opportunity to catalyse the next phase of our growth.
“There is a huge opportunity for us and Stratagem to grow together. Connect and Stratagem are a great fit, with closely aligned values, complementary products and services, and a shared commitment to setting high standards.
“Joining up with Belfast’s biggest public affairs firm creates an unrivalled client offer at a time when Northern Ireland is playing a pivotal role in UK and European affairs.”
Gráinne added: “We must thank and pay tribute to Quintin for his vision in founding Stratagem and leadership. His dedication and passion for politics and our business has seen Stratagem thrive and deliver outstanding results. These are changing times in politics and public policy, and it is now the right time for Stratagem to become part of a UK wide team with Connect and broaden our client offer.”
Quintin Oliver said: “Stratagem has defined the public affairs market in Northern Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement. Bringing it together with Connect makes huge sense at this stage, with talks under way hopefully for the Assembly and Executive to return, and with the Brexit drama unfolding around us across these islands.
“The joint business will bring added scale, investment and strong relationships with key policy-makers, opinion-formers and political institutions. I am pleased that the team at Stratagem will continue under Gráinne Walsh and I wish them well as I take a step away to concentrate on other projects.”
