SG comms agency Ellerton & Co. expands into Europe

Singapore-headquartered Ellerton & Co. has launched a European practice based in Switzerland, as the independent communications agency looks to support European companies expanding into Asia and Asian brands entering Europe.

Based in Switzerland, the European practice will offer strategic communications, media engagement, public affairs, human rights advisory, integrated marketing services and go-to-market support.

Leading the new practice is Gloria Montgomery (pictured left), who joins the agency with experience in public affairs, human rights and strategic communications, including roles with the United Nations and Amnesty International.

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The move marks the latest expansion for the Singapore-based agency, which said the new practice formalises work it has already been doing for clients navigating cross-border growth between Asia and Europe.

According to the agency, European companies are increasingly looking to tap growth opportunities in Southeast Asia and India but often lack on-the-ground marketing infrastructure to localise messaging and navigate fragmented media landscapes. At the same time, Asian companies expanding into Europe face a similarly complex environment involving multiple markets, regulators and stakeholder groups.

The expansion mirrors the agency's Japan model, where about one in five clients are Japanese and local partnerships are used to adapt content for the wider region. Switzerland already accounts for a similar share of the agency's client base, with Ellerton & Co. expecting its European business to grow along a comparable trajectory.

Managing partner Oliver Ellerton (pictured right) said many of the agency's European clients see clear growth opportunities in Asia but lack dedicated marketing teams in markets such as Singapore, Jakarta, Hanoi and Manila.

"[European clients] need a partner who can be their team on the ground: localising messaging, working in their time zones, and helping them earn credibility in markets that don’t reward generic playbooks," said Ellerton. 

"Switzerland is the right place to anchor that practice. It's where a meaningful share of our clients already sit, and it gives us the right footing for the rest of Europe," he explained. 

Meanwhile, Montgomery added that expanding into new markets now requires companies to navigate media, policy and stakeholder environments simultaneously.

"The European practice builds on that: helping Asian clients build profiles across Europe's diverse media and policy environments, and supporting European clients with the strategic communications, media engagement, and public affairs work that makes brands credible at home and abroad," she said.

In tandem, Prayaank Gupta, partner at Ellerton & Co said 88% of the agency's briefs are now multi-market, with a growing number spanning both Asia and Europe. 

The launch comes on the back of what Ellerton & Co. described as a record growth year, during which the agency more than doubled its revenue, entered India, launched its creative unit and secured mandates including EHL Hospitality Business School,VFS Global in ASEAN, and Ethiopian Airlines.

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