A Durham-headquartered PR and marketing communications agency has announced the appointment of a new senior position within the business. Filament PR, has unveiled Sarah Pinch as its non-executive director, in a move that is designed to support the company’s growth into the future following a bumper first year in business.

Having launched in October 2016, Filament PR provides communications with creative spark to brands in the lifestyle, leisure and entertainment sectors, both regionally and nationally. With a client list including Enesco, seeing the team at Filament PR work with household names like Pusheen, Beatrix Potter and Disney, the business has grown exponentially in its first year of trading, with seven retained clients, an additional eight long-term projects on its roster, and a six-strong team of talented associates.

Anne-Marie Lacey, managing director of Filament PR, says, “Being in the business of public relations, it’s our job to make sure that our clients’ brand stories engage with the right people, at the right time and in the right way. While Sarah’s appointment isn’t a case of ‘New Year, New Start’, it certainly is a new chapter in the story of our business and I couldn’t be more excited to officially welcome her to the team.”

Lacey first met Pinch in 2015 at a Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) event in Newcastle, when Pinch was president of the institute, leading the 10,000-stong membership association. Lacey approached Pinch to set up a nation-wide network for young communicators and together they founded the CIPR’s Young Communicators’ Forum. Since then, the pair have enjoyed a professional working relationship, seeing Pinch become a friend of Filament PR, mentoring Lacey and providing strategic guidance behind the scenes.

Pinch says, “I am delighted to be joining Filament PR as the non-executive director. I have had the privilege of mentoring Anne-Marie for the last three years, watching her develop as a highly professional PR practitioner and successful business woman. By formalising our working relationship in this way, I look forward to helping Filament PR deliver ever more successful work for our clients and build a strong reputation for excellence. It is a very exciting time indeed.”

As well as her role at Filament PR, Pinch is also managing director of Pinch Point Communications, a non-executive director of the Health and Safety Executive and chair of the Taylor Bennett Foundation. An award-winning communicator, chartered PR practitioner and fellow of the CIPR, Pinch is also a champion of women in business, seeing her listed as #30 in the FT and HERoes Top 50 Business List, which celebrates female leaders and those working to support and encourage the female talent pipeline.

Pinch’s role at Filament PR will see her provide a creative contribution to the business through independent oversight and constructive challenges, to ensure plans are in place and the business is on track, while supporting Lacey as an executive coach. With ambitious growth targets for the year ahead, capitalising on the success of 2017, the future is looking bright for Filament PR. Thanks to a full new business pipeline, Pinch and Lacey plan to expand the team over the coming months to help meet growing client demand.

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