US PR group Finn Partners acquires Honner in APAC expansion play

Finn Partners has acquired Sydney-based financial and corporate communications agency Honner, giving the US-headquartered firm a direct presence in Australia and a bigger financial services footprint across Asia Pacific.

The 25-person agency will operate as Honner, a Finn Partners company, with all Honner staff to become Finn employees.

Founder Philippa Honner will join Finn as managing partner and APAC financial services practice lead, with a brief to expand the firm’s financial services offer across the region.

Sydney and Melbourne will join Finn’s global office network, taking its total office count to 37 and expanding its Asia Pacific team to about 250 people.

Honner was founded in 1997 and works across banking and capital markets, asset management, wealth management, financial advice, superannuation, insurance, professional services, real estate, renewables, digital assets and technology.

Finn said the acquisition reflected Australia’s growing importance in the regional financial services market, particularly as the country’s superannuation pool continues to expand.

The deal also gives Finn a stronger base to work with Australian financial brands expanding into Asia Pacific, as well as global brands looking for a more consolidated regional approach to communications.

Philippa Honner said joining Finn would give the agency a larger platform across the region.

“Joining forces with Finn gives us an incredible platform to progress our ambitions to be the leading marketing and communications agency supporting corporate and financial brands across APAC,” Honner said.

Finn currently works with financial services brands including Charles Schwab, Chubb, Deutsche Bank and Natixis.

Howard Solomon, Finn founding managing partner and APAC lead, said Australia had been a market the firm had been watching for several years.

“Australia is a key growth market in the region and one we have been looking at very carefully for years,” Solomon said.

The move comes just over a year since Finn acquired Singapore PR agency Rice Communications, a 60-strong consultancy with expertise in travel, technology, corporate and consumer public relations.

“This acquisition builds on the momentum we’ve established across APAC, including last year’s acquisition of Rice Communications,” Finn CEO and Founding partner Peter Finn said.

“Finn’s APAC business has grown significantly, accounting for nearly 10% of the firm’s global fees. With Honner joining the firm, Finn APAC now has approximately US$19 million in fees, further strengthening our ability to serve clients seamlessly across the US, EMEA and APAC.”