WS wins MessageLabs Europe job

by Tom Williams, PR Week UK 02-Sep-05

Anti-computer virus company MessageLabs has hired Weber Shandwick to handle PR across Europe and parted company with EMEA PR manager Ilke Kaufmann.

Kaufmann, who co-ordinated the pitch (PRWeek, 8 July), is believed to
have left last month following a disagreement with US-based MessageLabs
corporate communications director Shelley Driscoll.

Driscoll declined to comment on the circumstances of Kaufmann's exit,

but confirmed that WS had replaced MessageLabs' UK agency of five-years,
HBL Media.

'Following a long and extensive review process, we felt that WS had both
the UK and European capability to help us take MessageLabs to the next
level,' Driscoll said. 'The IT security market is intensely competitive;
we need to compete with larger security vendors, on a business and
European level. Weber Shandwick has both the geographical presence and
the business pedigree we felt necessary to help us achieve our
goals.'

Kaufmann did not return PRWeek's calls. Driscoll said WS would report to
her until a replacement is found.

Six agencies, including WS and HBL, are believed to have pitched for the
account.