Business & Money | Wednesday 27 May, 2015 12:10 am |

Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K), the Middle East and Africa region’s (MEA) longest established international communications consultancy, and Buchanan, one of the world’s leading financial communications consultancies, have joined forces to launch H+K Financial, a specialist financial communications division dedicated to MEA.

Staffed by 60 advisors with professional backgrounds including investment banking, equity research and financial journalism, H+K Financial combines H+K’s 30-year MEA heritage with Buchanan’s 25-year history of providing leading financial communications and capital markets services to international listed and private companies.

H+K Financial addresses the growing demand for world class financial communications and investor relations services in MEA as companies seek to raise their profiles and gain access to international capital markets, while upgrading their corporate governance. The firm will also provide international investors access to growth opportunities in the region.
With 15 offices across the MEA region, including all key capital markets, H+K Financial becomes the region’s largest, most experienced and most influential financial communications firm. It also provides access for MEA companies to reach major global capital markets through its network offices in London, New York, Tokyo, Singapore and Shanghai, among others.

Buchanan’s specialist advisors have teamed up with H+K’s MEA investor relations certified practitioners to provide full corporate and financial communications services, providing advisory services on transactions including Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), fund raises, mergers and acquisitions and corporate restructurings.

In addition, the offer includes bespoke investor relations services from shareholder register analysis and investor access, through to annual report, corporate governance and financial transparency communications. These services, along with the core corporate and reputation management services, are now provided in all of the main hubs throughout the H+K MEA network to current and prospective clients.

H+K Financial will work with H+K’s global network of 87 offices to deliver a truly global financial communications offering. With direct access through WPP, H+K and Buchanan’s parent company, H+K Financial also offers clients broader services including advertising, branding and media buying.

Sconaid McGeachin, CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies in the MEA region, said: “We have been partners with Buchanan on a number of client assignments and have established a strong working relationship. It makes sense to formalize an agreement to establish the pre-eminent financial communications firm in the region to tap into the growing need for specialist advisory and investor relations services.

“This is a win-win for clients as they benefit from combining the strength of the region’s longest-established international communications consultancy with one of the City of London’s most respected financial communications firms.”

Bobby Morse, Buchanan’s Senior Partner, said: “This is an exciting time for capital markets across the MEA region with developments such as the opening of the Tadawul, the Saudi Stock Exchange, to qualified foreign investors, and the emergence of successful family owned conglomerates seeking a better profile on international capital markets.
“With the positive regulatory changes in MEA markets, and the increasing demand from the global investment community to invest in quality growth opportunities, this partnership with H+K provides not only a comprehensive network, but also a heritage of excellence built over 30 years throughout the region to deliver best in class corporate reputation, investor relations and financial communications to MEA companies.”