PR outfit Beattie targets Canada with new joint venture

Beattie boss Laurna Woods, left, with Tartan Group founder Deirdre Campbell. Picture: Contributed

The joint venture, called Beattie Tartan, will have a 12-strong team of PR, digital, social and creative specialists across offices in Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria.

The move comes after Beattie, led by chief executive Laurna Woods, last year said it wanted to “control its own destiny” in the wake of the EU referendum by expanding into Canada.

Woods said today: “Canada will be the springboard for our growth globally. It is a forward-thinking country, stable and diverse.

“I am impressed with the spirit of entrepreneurship I see in every province and the highly educated and skilled labour force. The businesses and people who are thriving in Canada are the type of clients and talent we want to attract.”

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Tartan Group, based in British Columbia, counts the likes of the Aboriginal Tourism Association of Canada and the Adventure Travel Trade Association among its clients. The firm was founded by Deirdre Campbell, who will be the managing director of Beattie Tartan.

“Together with Beattie we have created a formidable digital-led PR, marketing and creative team and we’re looking forward to expanding beyond our expertise in tourism to work with clients across various industry sectors including health, retail, education, real estate and technology,” said Campbell.

Beattie Tartan will be chaired by Beattie Group chairman, Kevin Roberts, the former global chief executive of advertising giant Saatchi & Saatchi and former president and chief executive of Pepsi Cola Canada.

Beattie Group employs 130 people across 12 offices in the UK and Ireland, including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Falkirk.

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