LONDON--Mobile brand Orange has shifted its international press office brief to Octopus Group, after parting ways with long-term incumbent Edelman.

The move follows a lengthy review that began earlier this year, as revealed by the Holmes Report.

The flagship brand of France Telecom, Orange's operations currently span 32 countries, accounting for 231m subscribers. The brand is largely Europe-focused - including major markets such as France, the UK, Poland and Spain - but does include interests in Africa and the Middle East.

Octopus is tasked with supporting Orange's press office by driving the operator’s innovation story, demonstrating the value the brand brings brings to customers globally and planning its presence at Mobile World Congress.

In addition, the firm will also be charged with communicating Orange's group news to media, industry analysts and other key stakeholders, as well as ongoing reputation management.

"Our group portfolio is hugely diverse, and we’re constantly expanding the business into new areas ranging from mobile money and cloud services to smart cities and big data," said Orange head of external communications Vanessa Clarke in a statement. "We’re delighted to be working with Octopus Group to highlight the innovation that Orange is delivering all over the world.”

The agency shift comes as Orange aims to boost its profile while competitors, such as Telefonica, Vodafone and AT&T, make inroads into emerging markets. According to its "2015 strategy", France Telecom-Orange is aiming to reach 300m subscribers by 2015 via expansion in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

In the UK, the Orange operates under EE, via a joint venture with T-Mobile owner Deutsche Telekom, but local assignments were not included in the review. Orange was acquired by France Telecom in 2000 and has since become the French telecoms group's main worldwide brand for internet, TV and mobile services.