Bristol events and PR agency Brandon Hill Communications has been acquired by international marketing group Bray Leino.
Brandon Hill, which was founded in 2006 by leading Bristol PR industry figure Ian Muir, has already worked with Devon-based Bray Leino on joint projects. 
The two formed a consortium earlier this year that won a coveted place on the Government’s Crown Commercial Services event delivery framework.
Brandon Hill will now become part of Bray Leino’s international design, set construction and events operation, creating what the two today called “a formidable combined offering”.
Brandon Hill has delivered more than 200 Government events in recent years for a range of clients including The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, UK Trade & Investment, the UK Space Agency and British Expertise. Its public relations division handles PR for blue-chip firms such as accountants BDO, the Manufacturing Advisory Service and property agency CBRE’s Bristol office.
Bray Leino executive chairman Giles Lee said: “We have long wanted to add a specialist, event delivery offering to our agency line-up and have been seeking the right business to fill the gap.
“Brandon Hill has an outstanding reputation delivering events in the UK and internationally. This acquisition is an important step in building a world-class live events operation.”
Following the acquisition, the Brandon Hill team led by chief executive Ian Muir and supported by events managing director Luke Brown and international trade and investment specialist Caroline Preece will join Bray Leino.
Bray Leino was launched as a marketing agency 40 years ago in rural Devon. It opened a Bristol office in 2005 and in the same year was acquired by Mission Group, a network of entrepreneurial marketing communications agencies employing more than 850 people in the UK, Asia and North America.
Ian Muir said: “As well as being a good fit in terms of business strategy, there is an excellent cultural fit between Bray Leino and Brandon Hill.
“I am attracted by the emphasis Bray Leino places on its employees and clients, aspiring to be the most recommended creative communications agency.
“Backed by the resources and specialist skills offered by Bray Leino, I am confident we can make a significant impact on the national and international event delivery stage.
“I am also hugely inspired by the Mission Group’s public relations capability. I believe that the combination of our live events, public relations and social media capabilities will result in some remarkable campaigns in a media environment transformed by the digital revolution.”
Ian Muir formed his first agency, Strategy PR, in Bristol in 1990, which he developed into one of the region’s largest communications groups. He sold Strategy in 2004 to major PR group Huntsworth and became head of its subsidiary Harrison Cowley’s (now Grayling) South West and Wales operations.
He left Harrison Cowley in 2006 to form Brandon Hill.
