HELSINKI--WPP firm Burson-Marsteller has agreed to acquire a majority equity stake in its Finnish affiliate Pohjoisranta.

Pohjoisranta has been Burson-Marsteller’s exclusive affiliate partner in Finland since 2006 and now joins the network as Pohjoisranta Burson-Marsteller. The company’s clients include HP, Metso, SAP and Stora Enso.

With around 40 staffers, Pohjoisranta is one of Finland's major PR firms, and was recently named as one the shortlisted contenders for the Holmes Report's Nordic Consultancy of the Year.

According to its unaudited revenues for 2011, Pohjoisranta is worth around 5.1m euros.

”Our cooperation with Burson-Marsteller has been intense and fruitful since we joined as an exclusive affiliate in 2006," said Jouni Heinonen, chairman and co-founder of Pohjoisranta. "Our clients have become more international than ever and sharing global knowledge on best practices is extremely important for us."

The deal follows B-M's acquisition of its South African affiliate Arcay Communications last year.