LONDON--Tech consultancy Liberty Communications is to become the latest UK firm to launch in New York.

The firm expects to establish a New York operation in early 2013, following in the footsteps of Frank PR, Diffusion and John Doe. It also plans another US office in due course.

Liberty, which has focused largely on techology and mobile during its 14-years in business, is currently recruiting a US team. 

The firm also said that it would service a "number of retained and project based clients" in the US, but declined to provide further details.

“Liberty has built a successful business in the European market for our North American-based clients and we are increasingly being asked to provide support in their local market under the Liberty brand," said Gibbs. "New York is the first city in which we will deploy a Liberty-owned venture, but this is just the start.”

Gibbs criticised the practice of sending UK staff to run US offices, saying "that approach means local knowledge of the market and the technology landscape just doesn’t exist."

"Many of our clients want local support from Liberty because they believe in its creativity, passion and unique approach to dedicated client services," she added. "These approaches lie at the very core of Liberty’s modus operandi, and will continue to sit at the heart of the business, no matter where our offices are located."