MOSCOW—SPN Ogilvy and Ogilvy PR are to end their successful eight-year partnership in Russia by "mutual agreement".

The move comes after SPN became Ogilvy's exclusive affiliate in Russia and Ukraine in 2005, renaming itself SPN Ogilvy in 2007.

From 2014 it will be known as SPN Communications. CEO Andrey Barannikov noted that his firm wanted to "develop growth strategies which are best pursued as an independent agency."

Specifically, Barannikov told the Holmes Report that SPN will expand beyond being a pure PR specialist, most notably in the digital sphere. 

Ogilvy PR EMEA CEO Stuart Smith said that shared clients "will not be affected by the change."

Parent ad agency Ogilvy & Mather Russia, added Smith, "will continue to provide public relations services to clients with our main focus on strategy, integrated earned media, social media and social content.”

Ogilvy PR, continued Smith, will consider its options regarding its Russia strategy. "There are all the obvious routes — hiring people or looking for longer term PR partners who are happy to be PR specialists within the Ogilvy operation."

Both Barannikov and Smith said that SPN and Ogilvy will continue to collaborate where required. "We will continue to remain partners and friends with Ogilvy,” said Barannikov.