We are proud partners of PROI worldwide who have just been announced as the largest global communications partnership by The Holmes Report.
Global PR agency network PROI Worldwide has increased its 2018 net fee income by 10 percent to almost US$1 billion, making it the largest global communications partnership compared to other multinational agencies and the fifth largest when compared to the world’s leading communications holding companies - according to statistics released by The Holmes Report, one of the world’s leading industry rating organisations.
PROI’s growth compares with a 5 percent overall increase of the global public relations industry, estimated at totalling US$15.5 billion. Collectively, PROI Worldwide’s 75 integrated independent agencies serve a total of 8,173 clients via more than 6,400 staff across 165+ offices around the world. Compared to PROI’s growth of 10 percent, the world’s other largest public relations firms grew by 4.9 percent and the Big 4 holding groups’ fee income grew by 3.3 percent.
Six agencies represent PROI Worldwide in Australia and New Zealand: Filtered Media, Honner, Icon Agency, Market Eye, P4 Group and SenateSHJ. Together the agencies offer a full suite of integrated marketing communications, investor relations, media relations, digital communications, data analytics, corporate advisory, marketing strategy and advertising services.
Founded in Europe in 1970, PROI Worldwide is the world’s first partnership of independent agencies and marks its 50th Anniversary in 2020 in London, England, where it was founded before moving to the US in 1993.
Among its ranking of global holding companies, PROI Worldwide’s 75 agencies as a collective rank 5th in the world, larger than holding groups Publicis, Blue Focus, Huntsworth, Next 15, IPREX and Havas.
Compared to centrally owned multinational public relations firms, PROI Worldwide is in first place, larger than Edelman, Weber Shandwick, Burson Cohn & Wolfe, FleishmanHillard, Ketchum, MSL Group, H + K Strategies, Ogilvy PR Worldwide, Blue Focus, Brunswick and Golin.
Compared to global networks of independent agencies such as Worldcom and IPREX, the PROI Worldwide partnership’s consolidated 2018 revenue of US$ 954+ million continued to dwarf its network competitors.
Increased Demand, Knowledge Sharing and Flexibility are Benefits
“PROI Worldwide Agencies benefited from increased demand in all sectors and services including healthcare, reputation, crisis, issues and change management, digital and content marketing communications and social media,” said Angela Scaffidi, PROI Worldwide’s APAC Chair and Managing Partner of SenateSHJ.
Scaffidi believes that PROI’s ability to share knowledge globally and its flexibility contributes to independently held PR agencies outperforming their publicly owned peers in growth. She added that PROI Worldwide continues to lead in business outcomes but also by assisting its agencies to grow.
“We have incredibly strong relationships between our offices and staff exchanges are the norm. This allows us to share knowledge about business sectors as well as cultural norms which differ around the world and both our staff and our clients benefit.”
Mark Jones, Filtered Media Chief Storyteller and CEO, said the group actively partner on shared client accounts, exchange market insights and collaborate with other PROI agency partners across the worldwide.
“The key to our success is the strength of relationships between senior leaders in our respective agencies,” Jones said. “We speak often, meet formally twice a year and our clients benefit from the insights and best practices we share among the global network.”
Integrated Services, Global View and Strong Local Offering Accelerates Growth
“PROI Worldwide’s growth and marketing strategy is a proven formula,” says PROI Worldwide’s only remaining founding partner Allard W. van Veen, who has been PROI’s Global Managing Director since 1993.
He explained that PROI Worldwide’s successful process when adding new agencies within the global group continues to focus on finding the most dynamic agencies in their market. In addition to operating globally, PROI focuses on regional and sub-regional markets such as ASEAN, the Nordics, Central Europe, Africa, Latin America and other trading areas which mirror geographic markets established by its clients.
In addition, PROI Worldwide operates in Practice Groups including consumer, crisis, healthcare, business consulting, financial and investor relations.
Van Veen added that PROI Worldwide’s ongoing success also has its downside. “Our agencies are increasingly being targeted for acquisition by the major global players."
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About PROI Worldwide
PROI Worldwide, the world’s largest partnership of integrated independent communications agencies, was founded in Europe in 1970. Its 76 Agencies have offices in more than 165 cities encompassing 50+ countries across five continents. PROI Worldwide is the largest global communications industry brand and rated 5th largest among communications holding groups in the world with more than 6,417 staff servicing 8,200+ clients worldwide and 2018 net fee income approaching US$ one billion.
About PROI Worldwide ANZ agencies
Six agencies represent PROI Worldwide in Australia and New Zealand, Filtered Media, Honner, Icon Agency, Market Eye, P4 Group and SenateSHJ. Together, the agencies offer a full suite of integrated marketing communications, investor relations, corporate advisory, marketing strategy and advertising services.