Caption: Debbie Flynn and Peter Finn
Travel PR agency The Brighter Group has been acquired by global marketing and communications firm Finn Partners.
Debbie Flynn, founder and chief executive will serve as managing partner; Steve Dunne, current chairman of the Brighter Group will become senior partner, strategy; and Fiona Jeffery, non-executive director will take on the role of global tourism advisor for Finn Partners.
Flynn will report to Chantal Bowman-Boyles, managing partner, who leads EMEA from London and Gail Moaney, managing partner, based in New York.
The Brighter Group’s clients include tourist boards for South Africa, Belize, Dubai, Jordan, Malaysia and Malta, as well as Intrepid Travel, Air Europa, Neilson and The Advantage Travel Partnership.
The agency said the acquisition will allow Brighter to access Finn’s “tech and digital expertise” which will improve how it markets its tourist board clients to travel agents and operators.
It also hopes to provide digital solutions for clients from websites to social media campaigns.
Flynn said: “After founding Brighter over 22 years ago and building it up to be one of the UK’s most successful travel PR groups, I feel that a sale of the business to Finn Partners is in the best long-term interests of our valued clients and loyal staff. Finn Partners has expertise in areas such as digital and technology that will complement the Brighter Group and add more value to our clients.
“I am excited at the prospect of leading the business for many years to come and incredibly proud of what the team has achieved. I am very confident that under its new ownership, the business will continue to flourish and grow.”
Peter Finn, founding partner of Finn Partners added: “Our tourism group is one of our core US practice areas and we have been eager to add a London travel team so that we can offer support in EMEA to our existing client base. Bringing the Brighter Group on board is the perfect solution for us.”