LONDON — Montreal-based PR and communications group Avenir Global has acquired independent creative healthcare agency Cherry in the UK for an undisclosed sum as part of its ongoing expansion in Europe. 

Founded in 2005, Cherry has annual revenue of £9.2 million and 80 employees with clients across its creative, studio and digital departments including Baxter, Biomarin, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eisai, Reckitt Benckiser, Shire, SOBI and Vifor. The agency's leadership team, led by MD John Goundry, remains in place.

Goundry said: “Avenir Global is exactly who we were looking for in a partner. Both companies share common values and a complimentary expertise. Avenir Global has a proven record of helping businesses grow, with the organisational reach to propel our client offering and growth in the EU, US and Canada.”

Avenir Global now has 850 staff – 250 of whom are in healthcare – and offices in 21 locations across Canada, the U.S. and in Europe. The group’s growth strategy is focused on diversifying geographic reach and expanding its service offering.

Its companies in Europe already include Axon Communications, which provides PR, medical communications and clinical trial support services to pharmaceutical and medical devices companies, with offices in the UK, the US, Denmark and Switzerland.

London agency Madano, which Avenir bought in 2013, operates in highly-regulated sectors including energy, healthcare, technology, and investment, development and regeneration. Avenir, known as National Public Relations until November last year, is owned by Res Publica Consulting Group, and also owns US agency Shift Communications (acquired in 2016) and Padilla, which it bought this August.

Avenir Global international managing partner Ralph Sutton said: “We are delighted to welcome Cherry to the Avenir Global family. We are very excited about the opportunities we now have to provide new thinking and the highest quality innovative service to our clients across the group.”