Member Article

Press Ahead in buy-out following founder's departure for Trinity Mirror

North East marketing and communications outfit Press Ahead has undergone a management buy-out following the departure of founder Russell Borthwick to a senior role at Trinity Mirror.

The Sunderland-based firm, which has 12 employees, will now by led by managing director Kieron Goldsborough.

Mr Borthwick is to take up the role of managing diretor for the North East division of Trinity Mirror, having previously worked for the group in a variety of senior positions prior to setting up Press Ahead.

Mr Goldsborough, who has been with the company for two years in the role of creative director,was supported in the MBO by Rob Phillips, head of corporate at Muckle LLP and assistant solicitor Adam Rayner of Muckle LLP together with Mark Batty, chartered surveyor of MB Consulting.

He said: “This is a very exciting time for the company. Russell built an extremely strong business over the last decade and we have enjoyed steady growth throughout and built presence across a number of industry sectors. We are in an excellent position to take the business forward into the next decade.

“We have an exceptionally skilled team of creatives, marketers, PR and advertising specialists and hard work and determination has paid off as we enjoyed a record year in 2013, in both turnover and profit.”

Bucking the trend in the marketing communications sector which saw spend reduced during the recession, Goldsborough is in no doubt that confidence is returning to the advertising and marketing landscape and that the UK should see increasing levels of spend.

Press Ahead has focused in later years on building on its research and media buying offering and extending its digital marketing capabilities onto the next level.

Rob Phillips from Muckle LLP said: “Given the economic climate of the last few years, Press Ahead is one of the few businesses in its field to encounter such growth.

“With high level strategic planning and an excellent reputation, the business has grown substantially and this is good news for the North East and Press Ahead is certainly one to watch.”

Under Goldsborough’s leadership, the award-winning business will be working on a high profile celebrity global fragrance launch as well as boasting clients which include; Berghaus, Coast and Country, the University of Cumbria, Owen Pugh, Sunderland College, Sunderland Council, Huntsman and SSI amongst its portfolio.

With a strong start to 2014, Goldsborough plans to announce strategic appointments to the business shortly, strengthening the existing team and broadening the marketing communications offering.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .