Hydra appoints two partners – Hugh Davies and Sam Barton.

Hugh Davies

Hydra Strategy, the senior-only consultancy launched in January 2017, has appointed telecoms, media and technology industry heavyweight Hugh Davies as a partner. Davies was most recently director of corporate communications at Three, the UK’s first 3G mobile operator, where he spent almost 10 years leading the campaigning and communications to take the internet mobile

Previously, Davies was UK head of public relations at Microsoft, helping to build understanding of the company’s growing software product portfolio among UK businesses and the public sector. He managed major campaigns and the visits of senior executives including Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.

Following an initial career in journalism, Hugh held senior roles in Europe and Asia with WPP consultancies Hill+Knowlton and Cohn & Wolfe, as well as with advertising agency Leo Burnett, where he was responsible for integrated brand communications campaigns in Asia for global consumer brands in the auto, FMCG and TMT sectors.

Hydra’s managing partner Stephen Benzikie says, “Hugh is one of the best known and most respected senior communicators in not only the tech sector, but in the UK. We’re excited to have him on board as we continue to build our offering in TMT, addressing the needs of established global players and early stage companies alike.”

Sam Barton

Hydra Strategy, the senior-only consultancy launched in January 2017, has appointed private equity specialist Sam Barton as a partner.

Barton joins from Equus, a specialist private equity PR firm, where he was a partner and led programmes for financial and corporate clients globally. He brings with him a long track record of advising major private investment groups, industry bodies, intermediaries, portfolio companies and start-ups on corporate reputation, crisis communications, media strategy and investor relations.

Barton’s clients include Invest Europe, formerly the European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association, and BaltCap.
In his earlier career, Barton was a financial journalist focused on the commercial property and private equity sectors. He holds an MBA from Durham University.

Benzikie says, “Sam is a hugely respected operator in the PE sector, so we’re very pleased to have attracted him to Hydra. Despite PE’s considerable size – and its $500bn of available funds at present – it’s still a relatively young industry which is set to become an even greater part of the global economy. A number of our consultants have deep experience in this space and it will remain a key focus for Hydra.”