LONDON--Omnicom agencies Fleishman-Hillard and Bernard Hodes have announced a strategic partnership in the UK.

The partnership will see Bernard Hodes in the UK operating as a Fleishman-Hillard company.  The two agencies will retain their individual identities and continue to offer their individual specialisms, as well as an extended dual offering.

In the UK, Bernard Hodes is a market leader in employee branding, employee engagement and talent acquisition.

Fleishman-Hillard is hoping that these skills will complement its existing integrated communications and reputation capabilities, bridging a narrowing gap between corporate and consumer brand experience, through brand storytelling, talent engagement and reputation management.

 “The increased role of employees in the building and management of reputation, and the growing synergy between the human resources and corporate communications agenda, has fuelled the move," said F-H EMEA president John Saunders. "With reputation increasingly a total boardroom issue, the combined capability means we can truly integrate and activate reputational campaigns across all stakeholder audiences.”

 “Employees, both current and future, are pivotal to the building and communication of a company’s narrative, brand and reputation and yet are often addressed as a siloed audience," added Bernard Hodes CEO Helen Rosethorn.