LONDON—Online learning company Lynda.com has hired PR firms Kaizo and HBI to support the company's growth plans outside the US.

The appointment follows a competitive review, revealed by the Holmes Report last month upon the arrival of Tariq Ahmed to lead EMEA comms at Lynda.com. 

Kaizo and German partner HBI are charged with overseeing an integrated communications programme, after a review that included Axicom, Lewis PR, Ketchum and Waggner Edstrom.

Founded in 1995, Lynda.com received investment of $103m from VC firms Accel Partners Spectrum Equity last year. It has recently expanded its European presence, furthermore, by acquiring online video rival Video2Brain.

The firms will aim to increase brand awareness and demand for course subscriptions through digital, social and PR activity. This will include driving visitors to two major exhibitions in September of this year.

"We chose Kaizo because they showed they understand what support an entrepreneurial, growth-oriented business needs," said Ahmed. "This includes a number of creative ideas that will help to bring our key differentiators to life. They also demonstrated how their approach to PR driven campaigns will dovetail nicely with our broader digital marketing activities."

The agency hires are part of a new marketing communications strategy overseen by Alex Zivoder, who joined Lynda.com as VP and EMEA MD in late 2013.