LONDON — Growth from WPP's PR firms, which include Burson-Marsteller, H+K Strategies, Ogilvy PR and Cohn & Wolfe, slowed to 2.3% on a like-for-like basis for 1Q 2016, the holding group has reported.

The results come after a strong fourth quarter helped WPP's PR firms grow 3% on a like-for-like basis in 2015. 1Q numbers reveal reported PR growth of 6.9% to £239m, with PR now accounting for just 7.8% of overall group revenue, and lagging growth by the group's advertising and branding units.

WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell noted that the PR performance was significantly better than 1Q 2015. Surprisingly, though, North American PR revenues did not growth, with Sorrell pointing to "particularly strong growth in the United Kingdom, Asia Pacific and Africa & the Middle East."

In terms of agencies, Sorrell again praised Cohn & Wolfe and Ogilvy PR, along with Finsbury. A double-digit 1Q revenue increase at Cohn & Wolfe was led by its US operation, "driven by consumer and healthcare spending".