LONDON — Porter Novelli has won educational charity the Rhodes Trust as a retained, six-figure global account, after a four-way competitive pitch.

The agency will be responsible for building awareness of the prestigious Rhodes Scholarships awarded to graduates internationally, as well as developing a network in key territories around the world to support the Trust’s outreach and fundraising work.

As well as supporting day-to-day press office activity in the UK and internationally, Porter Novelli will be managing media activity around the Trust’s 120thanniversary this summer and the launch of the new Rhodes House building, a global education hub at the University of Oxford (pictured). The agency will also provide media outreach around thought leadership events this year.

Rhodes Trust director of communications Babette Littlemore said: “We were looking for a strong strategic communications agency who could partner with us as we continue to build our community, address our legacy and pave the way forward towards a more positive and inclusive future.

“We needed an agency who works across many aspects of comms; from awareness-driving campaigns, to supporting with media relations around large-scale events, to data-driven capabilities to support with proactive and reactive media engagement, which we found under one roof with Porter Novelli.”

At Porter Novelli, corporate counsel lead Anna Flower added: “It felt like a natural partnership from day one in terms of chemistry and being able to provide Babette and the team with the global reach they require in an agile way that suits their needs.”

Rhodes Trust will sit alongside other clients in the agency’s reputation and brand portfolio, including Almond Board of California, Iron Mountain, William Grant & Sons and Beiersdorf (Nivea, Eucerin).