Havas owned PR, social and experiential agency, Red Agency, has expanded its team by merging marketing and communication specialist, Crossman Communications into its Sydney operation. Crossman Communications will take the Red Agency name in early 2016 with its founder, Jackie Crossman, taking on the role of principal, Red Agency Sydney reporting to general manager Aaron Crowther.

The move is part of a wider strategic growth plan for Red Agency and the Havas Village in 2016, to expand its operations, its offer to market and footprint. In the past four years Red Agency has seen rapid growth, picking up many high profile accounts and winning some 60 awards internationally and locally, including five Cannes Lions and 10 Agency Of The Year accolades at various shows.

Founded in 2003, Crossman Communications has built an enviable reputation for delivering break-through campaigns across multiple sectors from food, health and technology to travel, lifestyle and education. Key clients include Malaysia Airlines, which Crossman said was the hardest PR situation she’d worked on, Yates, Sanitarium and Horticulture Innovation Australia. The agency has also been recognised by a number of awards over the past 10 years, which included Jackie Crossman taking out the PR category at the B&T Women in Media Awards in 2015.

James Wright, managing director Red Agency and Group COO Havas Australia said: “At Red Agency we continue to look at opportunities in the market to grow and evolve our practice areas building on the outstanding few years we have had commercially and creatively. To be able to bring such a well respected and experienced practitioner of the quality of Jacke into the business and her fantastic team is great news for the Havas Village as we look to deliver on our strategic plans in the next period.”

Jackie Crossman said: “This merger will give our team and clients access to a wide array of cutting edge services within the Havas Village, such as digital, media and design, so we can keep challenging the status quo and developing innovative campaigns for our clients that deliver real results and positively impact their bottom-lines.

“Our industry is changing rapidly and we’re excited about becoming part of Red Agency to continue to disrupt how brands and organisations view and benefit from strategic public relations, and to help shape the future of communications to harness the power of the digital and technological revolution.”

Wright added: “The Havas Village has grown more than 50 per cent over the past two years and this move is part of a number of strategic initiatives we are taking in 2016 to keep our agencies within the group agile to the market and to the changing needs of clients.”

The merger will come into effect from January 1, 2016. Red Agency has offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The Havas Village Australia is made up of Red Agency, Havas Worldwide, Arnold Furnace, Havas Media and Havas People.