Financial Dynamics announces China JV

Communication consultancy firm, Financial Dynamics (FD), has announced the signing of a joint venture with China's Eastwei Relations. The Chinese corporation is said to be one of the country's leading strategic communication consultancies and its 60-strong team will give FD a firm footprint on the Mainland.

The announcement follows the establishment of FD's Asian operations in Hong Kong last September under the leadership of Diana Footitt, the firm's new Asian CEO. Eastwei was founded in 1994 and counts a number of the world's leading consumer companies such as IKEA, Porsche and Sony as its clients.

The new joint-venture will be overseen by Footitt and has three offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

She says, "The joint venture strengthens the close informal relationship we've had with Eastwei and will enable us to offer our clients on-the-ground support in China. Our recently established business is growing rapidly and we now have a team of five professionals based in Hong Kong"

FD's global CEO Charles Watson adds, "The opportunity to work with Eastwei is exciting. China represents a significant growth opportunity for FD. This partnership will combine FD's ability to provide world class communications services in corporate communications, investor relations, public affairs and business consulting, with Eastwei's outstanding reputation for high-quality service delivery to some of the world's most famous brands."

Globally, FD employs more than 350 professionals and has a client base of over 500. In July 2003 the London and New York headquartered company was involved in a management buyout supported by Advent International, a private equity firm.