SYDNEY — WPP AUNZ has merged PPR, one of the oldest PR agencies in Australia and New Zealand, with Burson Cohn & Wolfe. The newly-combined business will be led by Pamela Klioufis, managing director of BCW in Australia (pictured).

As a result of the merger, BCW now has a presence in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland. Matt Stafford, BCW’s Asia-Pacific President, said the firm’s Australian operation had already doubled in size over the past 18 months, in terms of revenue and headcount.

He said: “With this merger, BCW becomes one of the largest PR firms in the country. Our clients are eager to access our expanded offering while our newly combined team can now embrace the regional BCW talent, training and network support.”

Kieran Moore, chief executive of PR and public affairs at WPP AUNZ, added: “This merger is about giving our clients and our team members best-in-class skills. The global thinking, experience, tools and systems of BCW, combined with the unparalleled local ANZ reach of PPR, make for a perfect match.”