GLOUCESTER, UK — Radioactive PR has appointed the former head of external communications for GoCompare as its first managing director and has also appointed an agency co-founder as managing director of parent company Radioactive Group.

In a video shared in early February and viewed more than 6,000 times, Radioactive PR founder Rich Leigh invited “entrepreneurial leaders” to apply to become the agency’s first managing director.

Anders Nilsson (pictured) has been named as the first managing director Radioactive PR Nilsson spent eleven years at GoCompare where he led product, brand and financial PR, investor relations, public affairs, social media, SEO and content.

Having started his career at technology PR firm Cohesive, Nilsson returned to agency in 2020 by setting up communications consultancy Feral, working with clients in the financial services, crypto, energy, fintech, motoring and charity sectors.

Nilsson will take over the day-to-day management of the PR business and team, working with head of client services Angharad Planells and head of new business Jade Beddington.

Leigh has also created an additional role, naming Richard Leonard as the first managing director of the agency’s parent company, Radioactive Group, to support the development of its current companies and lead expansion into other service offerings.

Leonard co-founded integrated communications agency Brazil, building a client portfolio that included 118 118, Honda, Dixons Group, AXA, Swiftcover and GfK NOP before exiting in 2010. He has since consulted as the head of consumer PR for Three Mobile and for Honda Motor Europe and Honda UK.

Rich Leigh becomes group CEO and will direct all company development and expansion, while maintaining an active role in creative, marketing and new business functions. Leonard will work alongside Nilsson, Leigh and Radioactive Talent managing director Will Roberts.

Leigh said: “I was blown away by the talent and experience of the people I spoke to, but when it came down to it, Anders and Richard were stand-out. The more we talked and discussed our ambition, the more I saw this being the catalyst for something truly special. This is a real growing-up point for us as an organisation. I’m proud to have built something that can attract this level of talent and can’t wait to kick-on from here.”

Nilsson said: “When Rich spoke to me about this role I had to give this opportunity my full attention. An agency like Radioactive is a dream for any client. It combines experience, imagination, drive, and accountability, which results in measurable outcomes that everyone at the client’s organisation ‘gets’. Having spent a long time as the client, I know that this is hard to come by. I'm looking forward to working with the team to grow the agency and set the bar for the sort of work we do.”

Leonard added: “Over the last ten years I’ve been fortunate enough to have had several conversations about teaming up with someone else, but never quite found the right fit. Within an hour of talking to Rich I knew there was a brilliant opportunity here, a hunch further sealed within a few minutes of meeting Anders and Will. I’m over the moon to bring a bit of silver to this young and extremely talented team, and can’t wait to see what we can all achieve together.”