NATIONAL Public Relations acquires Madano Partnership

Leading independent network expands in the UK and Europe

MONTREAL, July 4, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - NATIONAL Public Relations, one of the largest independent communications networks worldwide, has announced that Madano Partnership, a strategic communications consultancy based in London, has joined the Firm.

The acquisition is part of a growth strategy and will significantly grow NATIONAL's footprint in the UK and Europe. NATIONAL is already represented internationally by healthcare consultancy AXON Communications and the addition of Madano to the Firm will extend the services that both NATIONAL and AXON can provide their clients internationally.

Founded in 2004, Madano specializes in corporate communications and public affairs, and offers a variety of services ranging from proposition and message development, external and internal communications, as well as research and market intelligence. It represents clients in diverse sectors including energy, building and infrastructure, financial and professional services, education and healthcare.

Andy Eymond, Founding Partner, Madano commented, "We are very excited by the prospect of being part of the NATIONAL network and the opportunities that this brings. Having access to international specialists in areas such as energy, infrastructure, professional services and health will provide a real competitive advantage to us. Moreover, we are delighted to be part of a group that has a great track record of building and nurturing communications businesses, as it has done in Canada, and are looking forward to playing a key part of the group's strategic growth plan. Ultimately, we believe that being part of the NATIONAL network will enable us to achieve our goal of building Madano into a truly international strategic communications consultancy."

NATIONAL, founded in 1976, currently employs approximately 350 people in North America and Europe. The network includes the fast-growing digital agency Sonic Boom, and healthcare consultancy AXON Communications. AXON currently has operations in London, New York, Toronto and Copenhagen, providing public relations, medical communications and clinical trial support services to a wide range of leading pharmaceutical and medical devices companies.

Commenting on the deal, Ralph Sutton, International Managing Partner, NATIONAL said, "Madano is a highly successful business with leaders who share our vision and long term commitment to creating value for our clients. There is great synergy between our businesses that will help us expand internationally in key sectors."

The two firms have already been collaborating successfully on client assignments on an informal basis. Commenting further on the synergies between the businesses, Ralph Sutton said, "We both believe strongly in the importance of our work being informed by research. The combination of Madano's research team with NATIONAL's newly launched Analytics and Insights service is a great example of the synergies between our businesses, and this will provide all our clients a very valuable resource in the future."

About NATIONAL Public Relations and AXON Communications
NATIONAL Public Relations is the largest public relations consultancy in Canada, with offices in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Saint John, Halifax, St John's, New York and London. The Firm serves leading corporate, government and institutional clients and offers the full range of communications services, including corporate communications, investor relations, public affairs, employee engagement, public consultation and participation, marketing, technology and healthcare communications, as well as digital communications.

AXON Communications provides public relations, medical communications and clinical trial support services to a wide range of leading pharmaceutical and medical devices companies internationally. It has operations in London, New York, Toronto and Copenhagen.

NATIONAL is owned by RES PUBLICA Consulting Group Inc., a Montreal-based holding and management company of leading professional services firms offering strategic public relations counsel to a wide range of businesses.

Image with caption: "Front row (from left to right): Andy Eymond, Partner; Royal Poulin, Chief Financial Officer; Ralph Sutton, International Managing Partner. Back row (from left to right): Matthew Moth, Partner; Michael Evans, Partner; Valérie Beauregard, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Affairs; Jean-Pierre Vasseur, President and Chief Executive Officer. (CNW Group/NATIONAL Public Relations)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130704_C5228_PHOTO_EN_28746.jpg

SOURCE: NATIONAL Public Relations

For further information:

Karl Baldauf
Senior Consultant
NATIONAL Public Relations
416-848-1429
[e-mail]