One of the city’s best known creative agencies has signed up a former Lieutenant-Commander from the Royal Navy to head up its PR operation.
Stephen Osborne-Brown has been appointed as PR director at Brindleyplace-based Core after previous incumbant Charlotte Crossley quit to join Birmingham Science Park Aston.
Mr Osborne-Brown has more than a quarter of a century’s experience in the industry having worked in-house and agency for clients such as Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service, Tesco’s, B&Q, Balfour Beatty, the Highways Agency, Bovis Homes, and Lloyds TSB.
“Core is a forward-thinking agency that is most definitely looking to the future in terms of its ambition and range of client services,” said Mr Osborne-Brown.
“The PR team has a truly outstanding depth of knowledge and experience and is an extremely strong team to work with.
“The real value of this team comes from the variety of its individual and combined experiences, ensuring that each member is able to provide clients with advice on the full range of PR services, from traditional print and broadcast channels, to emerging social media, online and digital.
“Working for both the Royal Navy and Fire Service has equipped me with a number of skills that I have already been able to bring to the role, including public consultation and stakeholder engagement, which I have been able to put to good use through our recent work on the public consultation for Argent’s proposed redevelopment plans for Paradise Circus.”
Mr Osborne-Brown began his career in communications at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose - Europe’s largest helicopter base - before being appointed as the first non-uniformed head of communications for Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service, where he worked until 1999.
After filling the role of head of communications for a joint venture between leading international engineering & business consultancy Mott MacDonald and Balfour Beatty in Bristol, Mott MacDonald then invited him to set up and oversee its in-house marketing, media and PR team, based in Southampton.
Most recently, he has acted as a freelance public affairs consultant for a leading London-based PR agency, with projects ranging from assisting developers on planning issues to undertaking customer consultations for utilities.
As a director at Hallmark Public Relations, he was responsible for increasing turnover by 40 per cent in just two years, before being promoted to managing director and leading the world’s largest group of PR companies as global chairman.
Mr Osborne-Brown was also awarded the first advanced professional diploma in PR consultancy management by Leeds Metropolitan University and the PRCA.
Juliet Collings, managing director, Core, said: “Stephen is the perfect appointment for this role and with his experience, he will be absolutely key in ensuring that we are able to provide our clients with the right expertise, regardless of their sector or background.
“Stephen complements the strength of the existing team, whose combined skills ensure that we can offer each client exactly the right level of service to meet their needs and exceed their expectations.”
“Stephen’s appointment is a demonstration of the positive future that we are developing by building on the foundations and success of the last 14 years and I know that I speak for the whole team when I say just how pleased we are to have him with us at Core.”
