Belfast PR agency Serious is to merge with British-based communications agency Beattie in a move which will lead to the creation of 20 new jobs.

The Irish branch of the merged company will be named Beattie Ireland and the founder of Serious, David McCavery, will become its managing director.

McCavery said: “Our aim is to establish ourselves as Ireland’s premier integrated communications agency offering PR, digital, social, content and creative as joined-up marketing services.

“We have big plans for development. We aim to create six new posts in Dublin and Belfast within six months of launch and a further 14 roles over the next three years, to bring our total number of Irish-based employees to 26.”

Serious has won many awards for its creative, social, digital and PR campaigns and is seen as a leading B2B and reputation management agency, while Beattie, established 34 years ago, operates in the consumer, B2B and crisis management fields.

In Association with

Beattie chief executive Laurna Woods said: “This is our second joint venture. Our first was setting up Beattie Tartan in Canada where, in only two years, we have gone from one office in Victoria to six, including Calgary and Toronto. We have similarly ambitious plans for Beattie Ireland.”

The firm also has offices in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Toronto, Victoria and Vancouver and employs 130 people at present. The merger will go into effect from October 1.

Caption: David McCavery, with Beattie Scotland director Joanne Spence (left) and Laurna Woods