Bath-based PR agency Clearly has bolstered its senior leadership team with the appointment of James Gwinnett as an associate director.
James, pictured, joins after two years heading communications for 87% – a technology start-up with a mission to improve corporate mental health.
Having helped guide 87% through the pandemic, he worked on a £1.5m funding round and built the company’s PR strategy from scratch.
He has also worked for a number of highly regarded PR agencies in London, including CSM and Pitch Marketing Group, where he ran campaigns for major brands across the sport and leisure sectors.
A serial endurance fitness challenger, he took part in Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins, taking on a series of arduous challenges set by the show’s directing staff at high altitude in the Chilean Andes.
In his role at Clearly PR he will support founder and managing director Paul MacKenzie-Cummins, pictured below, with client services, business strategy and growth.
Established in 2014 and recently named one of the top 50 PR agencies outside London by PR Week, Clearly is the largest public relations agency in Bath and is recognised by industry body the PRCA as the number one medium-sized PR agency in the South West.
It provides communications, content and creative services for a growing portfolio of professional services clients in the South West and across the UK.
The agency is dedicated to championing the charge for positive environmental and social change and supporting organisations with their ESG (environmental, social and governance) communications.
Last year Clearly became only the second PR agency in the South West to gain certification from B Corporation, the international movement that promotes business as a force for good, joining just six other UK agencies out of 4,800-plus organisation across the globe to hold this accreditation.
James said: “Clearly is a vibrant and highly creative agency, doing important work across the fields of mental health, diversity, sustainability, charity and more.
“As demonstrated by the B Corp certification, it is committed to making a difference to the lives of its people and the outcomes of its clients, and I relishing the opportunity to help drive this forward.”
Other recent appointments at Clearly are senior account executive Meg Palmer, who joined from Bristol Children’s Hospital’s charity Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, and digital and print content specialist Kirsty Hall, who is a creative content assistant at the agency having graduated from Bath Spa University last year with a first-class degree in English Literature and Publishing.
The agency’s burgeoning creative content department provides a variety of digital content assets for clients.
Paul MacKenzie-Cummins said: “After successfully navigating the pandemic, we are buoyed by the opportunity to move the business up a gear with these new appointments as we look to scale up further in the coming months and years.
“James is a great addition to our senior team and his experience coupled with obvious commercial nous will serve us in good stead.
“Meanwhile our creative content department, which we developed to diversify our offering during the pandemic, is proving very successful and we welcome Kirsty to that now three-person division.
“Meg’s experience at a fast-moving major charity also brings a valuable dimension to the agency. We look forward to growing our 12-strong team further during 2022.”
Clearly PR’s community pro bono work has included media and event management support for the recent Ukraine Home Aid at the Bath Assembly Rooms, which raised more than £50,000 for the UNHCR, as well as ongoing support for the launch of the first-ever Bath Pride festival in 2023.
