Precision Marketing

13 January 2006

Rapier West opens with Rhythmm chief at helm

Rapier is to open a second office in an effort to win clients in the South-west.

Rapier West will be based in Bristol and managed by Paul Handley, former managing director of fellow Bristol-based agency Rhythmm Direct. Handley has also worked as a strategic customer management consultant for home goods giants Unilever and Kimberly-Clark.

Rhythmm new business chief Saman Mansourpour joins as an account director.

Rapier West's first client will be financial services company LMS. The agency will not initially share clients with Rapier's London office.

Handley comments: "We are confident of bringing new levels of creativity and strategic marketing to the region. Rapier West is to provide fully integrated direct response solutions - without any media bias."

Jonathan Stead, chief executive at Rapier, states: "We are extremely excited about the opportunities that Rapier West brings, and confident of providing a proposition that will benefit the region."

Rapier hopes the new office will help it to capitalise on a recent run of new business wins. Last year, the agency won the ntl direct account, as well as briefs for Mercedes vans and the COI. It also won the Barnardos business.

The agency was this week appointed to produce brand awareness work for financial services company Gartmore.

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