Due to significant client wins and increased demand for PR, digital marketing and comms services from businesses based in the south of the UK over the past year, Manchester’s Refresh has established a new full-time base in London.
Refresh officially has its first team member living and working in London as the agency expands its operations. Refresh’s southern-based clients include Samsung Climate Solutions, Watco, the Glass and Glazing Federation, Accoya, Etex and more.
Account director Libby Zbaraska, who has been with Refresh in Manchester for almost three years, will relocate to London to establish the new office. Libby is responsible for a number of the agency’s construction and manufacturing clients and Refresh’s expansion plans are directly linked to these sectors.
Laura Mashiter, managing director, explains: “The business need is clearly there: we’re very much a people business and we like to get in front of our clients as much as possible – this works better for us and for them. We’re spending an increased amount of time on trains which as we know aren’t perfect, so given the forecasting we’ve done for our future, we concluded the most sensible step was to form a London base. It’s one of several major changes we’re making to the business to lay more foundations down as we prepare for another wave of growth.
“It is critical that the person launching our London operation understands Refresh – our values and ways of working – in addition to being proactive and passionate as these traits run through the agency. We were extremely lucky that Libby decided this was a move that she’d like to make. Libby is an amazing, dedicated team member and I can’t think of a better person to be leading our southern business.”
Libby Zbaraska adds: “Once we’d identified the need to have boots on the ground in London, led by a senior person who can visit our southern based clients without incurring increasing travel time and costs, I jumped at the chance. I know Refresh inside-out and as we work flexibly anyway, we view this very much as a seamless transition.
“Not only will I be meeting with our southern clients more frequently, but I’ll also be generating new business in order to grow our London operation. It’s an extension of my current role and I’m confident that I can get the job done with the targets we’ve set ourselves! It’ll be a very different 2024 for me, but it’s a challenge I’m going to really enjoy.”
Refresh is a leading independent agency which was established in 2009. It specialises in PR, marketing and comms activity in the built environment, tech and food and drink sectors, For more information visit www.refreshpr.co.uk.
