GBC launches public affairs arm

Grant Butler Coomber has launched a public affairs division as it

seeks to diversify out of its existing hi-tech and consumer

divisions.

GBC Public Affairs is headed by Catherine Connan, who joined from the

Labour Party in June. She was Labour’s regional press officer for the

South East, and ran the party’s PR campaign in East Anglia during the

1997 election.

Explaining the timing of the launch, Connan says: ’The Nolan report has

brought massive changes. Labour politicians are nervous about lobbyists;

our approach is based on good argument rather than who you know.’

The department will initially work on two accounts: Help the Aged and

Data General.

Help the Aged brought in GBC in August to lobby the Government, car

makers and transport providers to improve access and transport standards

for elderly people. Sue Grant, founder and partner of GBC, says: ’We are

differentiated by the measurability of our results and we will apply

this to the new division.’

GBC’s hi-tech division has worked with Data General for 18 months. The

division has been appointed to work on a seminar project planned for

October.