Former commercial manager director of Trinity Mirror Regionals Sara Wilde McKeown has been named as the new MD of Liverpool PR and marketing firm Paver Smith with “substantial shareholding” in the business.
Founder Dougal Paver is believed to remain as a major shareholder with non-executive chairman, David Heal, and current managing partner, Jon Brown, both increasing their shareholdings. Rachel Smith, who heads up Consultation Works, the agency’s consultation unit, will also remain as a shareholder. Former agency director and shareholder Martyn Best has left the agency to concentrate on his digital document handling service for the legal sector – Document Direct.
“Sara is one of the most talented and best regarded figures in the UK media industry. Her strategic vision, energy and focus on delivery are second to none so we are delighted to have secured her commitment,” commented Brown on the appointment.
Wilde McKeown left Trinity Mirror in November, as well as holding the role of commercial director of Trinity Mirror Regionals she also spent time as MD of the publishers digital and events businesses across the North West and North Wales. She also holds a number of non-executive roles in the North West.
Of her new role, Wilde McKeown said: “The agency’s owners have a shared vision about what they want to achieve and it quickly became clear that their ambitions chimed with my own aspirations. Our focus is to continue to deliver the very best in integrated communications to our clients in the North West and to continue to recruit and retain the brightest and best people.”
She added that Paver Smith saw “significant opportunities for sustained and rapid growth in the medium term and believe we can double revenues and profit over the next two years” and that Heal would be assisting the agency with London business growth plans.
Speaking of the growth plans, Wilde McKeown said: “Paver Smith is already the predominant agency in the Liverpool city region with significant and extremely valued client representation in Manchester and the wider region. We fully intend to cement that position whilst driving growth in London by investing in new people and in business development activity. It won’t happen overnight but we believe we can achieve rapid progress over the next 18 months.”