WEBBER SHANDWICK/SQUARE MILE MERGER CAUSES AN UPSET

The most notable development in the Financial PR tables this quarter is the December 2001 merger of Square Mile, three way Webber Shandwick and Golin Harris Ludgate. The new firm is propelled, at a stroke, to the top of the top ten ranking of PR firms with the largest client list of UK stockmarket companies. Webber's total of 149 clients puts the company comfortably ahead of last quarter's top dog, Buchanan Communications, whose 134-strong list of listed company clients is just six ahead of a fast-growing Financial Dynamics.

The Webber Shandwick/Square Mile merger has a less dramatic effect in the other 'size' table, that ranking PR firms in terms of their total client profitability - but only because of the significant disparity in the amount of client profits between the top and bottom sections of the table. The merger transforms Webber from a 'three-figure' player, in terms of total client profits, into a 'four-figure player', and in so doing pushes the firm up a notch into fifth place, at the expense of College Hill. At the top of the tale, Financial Dynamics dislodges Brunswick from number one, a position to which the latter firm was beginning to grow accustomed, while Bell Pottinger - last quarter's new-comer to the rankings - retains third place.

Interestingly, the Webber Shandwick/ Square Mile Merger has no impact on the firm's standing in either of the 'growth' tables. The firm retains tenth position in both. Indeed, there's little change in the bottom half of either tables, some shuffling about of the minor placings being the order of the day.

It's a different story, however, at the top end. In the ranking of firms with the fastest growing clients, both Buchanan Communications and Lanson Communications continue to climb the tables, Buchanan displacing Hudson Sandler to take top slot, and Lanson climbing four places to number two. Hudson holds on to a podium position, taking third spot. It's all change on the podium in the other 'growth' table, ranking PR firms by clients' fastest increasing earnings. Binns & Co Public Relations Ltd regains top spot after languishing at number two for the past three quarters, forcing Bell Pottinger into second place. While Brunswick puts in a strong showing, climbing four rungs into third place.


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