Steve’s breakdown: Looks like they are splitting the PR account so we’re not sure of the budget size. Still, it’s a nice piece of business worth pitching.

WORTHING, UK: The company has launched a pitch process for a 12-month retained contract following the appointment of  Paul Keeble to the newly created role of head of media relations earlier this year.

Keeble said that as part of his role, the first in-house PR position at the MGM Advantage, he would be reviewing ‘what the company is doing going forwards’.

For the past three years, Citigate Dewe Rogerson has delivered the organisation’s PR offering, covering everything from consumer to corporate comms.

However, it is believed that duties will now be split, with the press office function as well as trade and personal finance media, going in-house.

Keeble, who was previously senior media relations manager at Standard Life, said: ‘It’s up for grabs at the moment. The brief is far reaching and I’m looking for an agency that will create ideas that can get us into the consumer press. Most consumers read a huge variety of media and the frequency of where we feature is important.’

He also hinted at the possible expansion of the in-house team in the long term.

The pitch was issued on 10 February, with the final deadline for applications now passed.

The company is now looking at reducing a line-up of eight agencies down to a shortlist of up to four, with Citigate Dewe Rogerson part of the process.

It is hoped that a decision would be made by the end of the month.

MGM Advantage offer retirement income advice and oversee more than £1.6bn of funds.

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