LONDON — Technology PR agency CCgroup has hired Duncan Chapple (pictured) as head of analyst relations. He joins from global analyst relations consultancy Kea Company, where he was managing partner.

Richard Fogg, CCgroup’s CEO, told the Holmes Report: “Duncan quite literally wrote the best-selling book on analyst relations. He’s a genuine thought leader. He takes our analyst relations offer to the next level.

"Industry analysts are hugely influential. But many PR agencies treat them like ‘journalists who just need a bit more depth’ — and it drives them crazy. Building and maintaining successful industry analyst relations programmes is deeply involved and requires a very strategic mindset, but almost all PR agencies lack the replicable processes and specialised staff necessary for programmatic analyst relations."

Chapple’s arrival follows CCgroup’s recent recruitment of analyst relations specialist Elena Georgieva from Axicom. The agency’s analyst relations practice, set up in 2016, has become a “powerful asset in growing relationships with US-headquartered firms and a critical component of our work,” said Fogg.

He added: “Our Catalyst research has consistently proven the powerful influence of industry analysts on B2B technology purchasing processes: analyst reports are one of the most valued sources of content for technology buyers longlisting and shortlisting across telecoms, large enterprises, broadcasters, capital markets and retail banks, and analysts influence around half the total value of business spending on information and communications technology.

“It’s critical that we stay ahead of this burgeoning market. In B2B tech PR most programme objectives focus on building market reputation, supporting sales and driving up company value. Industry analysts have a significant impact on all of these objectives, so it’s imperative that we build the best team of AR professionals possible.”

The analyst relations team's retained clients include Accedian, mentioned in Gartner’s ‘Magic Quadrant’ report for the first time this year; Signicat, whose work with Rabobank has been recognised by fintech analysts at Aite Group; and Openet, whose infrastructure for telecoms operators has been noted by analysts focused on 5G services.

Chapple said he had made the move because “CCgroup’s clients benefit from a unique analyst relations proposition: research-driven analyst relations operations; strategic guidance from industry-specific teams; and the capacity to amplify analysts’ advocacy through content marketing, events and search.”