~ LEWIS hires respected travel and hotel PR Julia Perowne to run new division ~

Leading global PR agency LEWIS PR is to create its own consumer-focused division, which will represent high-profile brands around the world. It will focus initially on premium travel brands.

The new consumer practice will be run by Julia Perowne, currently international client director for Massey Partnership, a travel and hotel PR specialist, based in London. Julia has worked in the travel and hotel PR sector for six years, representing leading international brands, individual hotels and tour operators, including COMO Hotels and Resorts, Black Tomato, Hotel du Vin, Malmaison and Nantucket Island Resorts.

The new practice, which will have at its disposal the vast array of LEWIS PR’s social media expertise, will utilise Julia’s extensive global travel knowledge and that of newly-appointed chief operating officer for LEWIS, Paul Charles. He joins in January after finishing his current role as director of communications at Virgin Atlantic.

LEWIS PR specialises in a range of public relations services to support major campaigns, including fully-integrated digital media and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) activities. It already has a number of B2C clients, including Pret a Manger. The new consumer division will blend LEWIS PR’s expertise in social media with innovative consumer PR campaigns.

The agency also recently became the first PR agency to launch its own app for the iPhone.

Commenting on the appointment, founder and CEO Chris Lewis said: “The LEWIS heritage has, for 15 years, been in the IT sector, but we now intend to grow further through a new consumer-focused team. I am convinced that Julia will help us to transform our offering and we’re delighted that she’s joining our award-winning team.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining the LEWIS team and helping to create a dynamic global consumer practice,” added Perowne. “I know the unique and innovative approach that LEWIS has will be hugely successful within the travel and wider consumer markets and I can’t wait to start working with such an experienced team.”