Hume Brophy enters Hong Kong through acquisition

Independent PR agency Hume Brophy has announced new operations in Hong Kong and New York after acquiring specialist firm Madaket+Co.

The takeover sees Madaket+Co’s operations in Hong Kong and New York rebranded as Hume Brophy. The latter agency already has a presence in Singapore, where a team of 12 is headed by Martin Reidy, Asia managing director. The new Hong Kong office will add another six corporate and financial communications specialists in Asia-Pacific, with director Thomas Kwan overseeing day-to-day operations.

Established in 2013 by former Ketchum senior executive Josh Nova, Madaket+Co focuses on communications strategy in the financial services and technology sectors. Nova has experience working both in New York, where Nova is based, and Hong Kong. He will become managing director of Hume Brophy US, leading a team of five consultants.

The Hong Kong expansion will further strengthen Hume Brophy’s presence across China and North Asia, with the firm already providing communications and government relations counsel to clients in Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The agency, founded in 2005, advises clients in sectors including finance, technology, energy, retail and healthcare.

Conall McDevitt, Hume Brophy CEO, said the acquisition gives the firm “an experienced team in Hong Kong [and] a strategic leader to grow our business in the US”.

Regarding Asia specifically, he said adding the Hong Kong office allows Hume Brophy to better capitalise on “the surge of large and fast-growing companies in Asia working with Hume Brophy to increase their activity in the US and Europe, and to provide our clients globally with sophisticated, local communications counsel in one of Asia’s most important markets.”

Nova said: “We look forward to being an important part of Hume Brophy’s continued growth and are excited about the benefits this will bring to all of our clients.”