Experienced business journalist David Laister has joined creative communications consultancy Fred as it celebrates its 15th anniversary.
The strategic marketing firm, with a global client base embracing the public and private sector, welcomes him into a new senior role of PR and Media Director.
Dave will further enhance the business-to-business offering at Fred, working with blue-chip clients and striving SMEs. He brings a depth of knowledge of the wider Humber’s might with extensive experience in helping businesses across multiple sectors tell their stories.
Having held senior positions in regional newsrooms for more than 20 years, latterly as business editor for the Humber region at Reach Plc, he is also well versed in hosting events, and is proud to have chronicled the emergence of the renewables industry. He left Reach Plc as part of the latest round of redundancies, which saw dedicated business news reporting lost.
"Fred's consultative approach, strong design foundations and impactful campaigns appealed immediately, and I'm thrilled to join a very talented team," Dave said. "Ensuring a business stands out, and stands proud, is paramount, and key to this is telling the truly great tales that sit behind so many of those that I've been delighted to champion for nearly two decades. “Recent changes to the media landscape only serve to highlight the importance of organisations ensuring they can do this for themselves, and this is exactly where Fred can help, be it offering creative insight at board level or supporting existing leaders in delivery."
Launched by Managing Director Emma Pearson-Kendall in early 2009, against a backdrop of a severe recession, ‘Fred’ was born to be the friend firms could turn to for strategic support in marketing, be it to grow, launch, protect or manage change. Emma was quickly joined by Creative Director Dominic Frary, who arrived from an award-winning creative agency in Leeds to take joint ownership. Communications Director Dani Sewell joined the senior management duo seven years ago, with Dave becoming the fourth director at the consultancy.
Croda, Cargill, Burgess Pet Care, Andrew Jackson Solicitors, Humberside Police and the NHS are just some of the clients represented by Fred, from its head office at the heart of Hull’s Old Town.
For Emma, the move marks further evolution of the services provided. Insight, experience and expertise is at the core, with brand and design creation matched by PR, internal communications and crisis management.
“Fred meeting Dave enables us to further develop our support for clients at a senior level. Having worked in the media for more than 20 years, during a period of massive change, Dave has an excellent insight into what publications and editors want, if they are to cover a story, and he will be able to share this insight with our clients to ensure they get the coverage and profile they need. Dave will also be working alongside the team to further develop the media training and skills development work we deliver to ensure clients are ready to promote positive stories but are equally equipped to deal with a crisis.
“We’re very proud that Fred has continued to thrive and grow across 15 years of operations, working with some exceptional companies and the characters behind them, and the whole team look forward to embarking on the next chapter of Fred’s story.”
For more information on the full range of services that Fred offers, call 01482 227227 or visit our website