Regus starts cross-account review

Regus Group, the provider of ready-made and serviced offices, has started a 10m pan-European communications review involving its advertising, direct marketing and digital accounts.

Regus Group, the provider of ready-made and serviced offices, has started a £10m pan-European communications review involving its advertising, direct marketing and digital accounts.

It follows former British Airways global brand and marketing chief Jayne O’Brien’s appointment as chief marketing officer earlier this year.

It is understood that Regus plans to consolidate its advertising and direct marketing accounts, and will pitch separately for the digital, brand communications and brand signage accounts. The media planning and buying, currently handled by Carat, will not be affected.

The pitch will be handled by OysterCatchers, the agency search business recently launched by Suki Thompson, a founder of the Haystack Group, and Peter Cowie, the chief executive of FitchLive and a former head of new business at JWT (MW November 15)It is not clear whether incumbent ad agency BJL, the Manchester-based agency, is repitching for the account. Regus also used Meteorite to handle its direct marketing account. Regus is looking for an agency to move it away from being an office provider to “workplace solutions”.

It has office space in 950 business centres in 400 cities around the world and rents its space for as little as one hour or as long as five years.

Regus chief executive Mark Dixon, a former hot dog vendor who founded the firm in 1989, owns 46% of the group. Last year, it acquired Laptop Lanes, a company that leases workspace at airports to travelling executives.

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