Independent public relations and integrated marketing agency, Irvine Partners, has opened its doors in London thanks to a growing demand from clients across Africa to be represented in the United Kingdom and Europe.

The agency, which has wholly-owned offices in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, has a strong mix of multinational and regional clients on its books, which are drawn from a cross-section of industries including technology, real estate, tourism, cannabis and financial services.

“We’ve been working in the UK market for about 18 months on an informal basis and client demand has now reached a level where it made sense to open a fully-staffed office here, even with the uncertainties around Covid-19,” says Irvine Partners CEO, Rachel Irvine. “We’ve seen a particular surge in demand from venture capital-backed tech companies, real estate and of course tourism, which the continent is so well known for.”

Irvine herself has relocated to London to oversee recruitment and to focus on business development.

“We’ve realised that the traffic is going to be two-way. As much as we are representing African clients expanding in the UK, there are a number of companies and brands here who want a credible and knowledgeable partner to take them to consumers across the African continent,” she says.

Irvine Partners was established in Cape Town in 2010 and will be celebrating its 10th birthday in November.

“I didn’t think we’d be celebrating such a significant milestone via a four-country video call with our staff and clients, but this year has taught us all that adaptability is the name of the game,” says Irvine.

Irvine Partners is staffed by a diverse team of media professionals, with decades of hands-on industry experience across all platforms. The firm specialises in communication strategy backed by intelligent, narrative-driven content.