Communications agency McCann Central has appointed Berkeley Communications’ director of strategy and group board director Pat Southwell to lead its PR and social team in Bristol. The move supports McCann’s growth as a formidable force in the PR industry.

Southwell spent nearly six years at Berkeley having joined from the Red Consultancy. He contributed to significant growth, helping win and consult on clients including BMW’s Alphabet brand, Disney, Epson, Freesat, Siemens Healthineers, Staples Solutions, Yodel and Zyxel, to name but a few. He also supported the Berkeley Kommunikation team, based in Munich.

Reporting to managing director of McCann Bristol, Andy Reid, Southwell will be working on clients including Cathay Pacific, FlyBe, Haynes Manuals and Bottle Green among others.  

Reid says, “Pat joins an incredibly strong senior management team and will supercharge our PR and social activity, making the 70-strong staff in Bristol a force to be reckoned with. We’re continuing to win work with some of the UK’s biggest brands and his creativity and knowledge of the sector can only help to strengthen that position.”

Southwell adds, “Joining McCann couldn’t be a better move. It’s a global powerhouse that I’ve always admired. Being part of the team is a huge honour and I can’t wait to grow the PR and social team even further. We’ve got some fantastic clients and soon there’ll be even more.”

McCann Central’s PR and social operation is now one of the largest regional operators, with a team of 60 across offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Milton Keynes and London, providing a range of specialist services across PR, social and influencer.

McCann Central is the UK’s largest integrated marketing communications agency, employing over 500 people united around a common vision: to help brands play a ‘meaningful role in people’s lives’. The agency provides a range of best in class services including advertising, media, PR & Social, digital, production and activation.