Global PR Agency Rankings 2023

In terms of geographic spread, this year’s ranking sees a notable decline from the global PR industry’s traditional powerhouses, with the US and UK accounting for eight of the 15 fastest-growing agencies in the world, compared to 10 for the past two years. Even so, Western markets dominate the top of the list, led by new UK consultancy Tilton, which more than doubled in size to $1.6m in its third full year of business.

Tilton is the only firm on this list to report triple-digit growth, compared to no fewer than eight PR agencies in 2022 — reflecting the overall slowdown in the market. Once again, though, acquisitions played a significant role in terms of fuelling growth — reflecting how the M&A market is now dominated by independent PR firms, rather than publicly-held holding groups.

In second place, for example, is Apple Tree from Spain, up 90.1% to $26m, after merging with Keeper Experience. Fourth and fifth place are also taken by agencies that are the result of significant mergers, in terms of USA’s Avoq (+85.1%) and Canada’s Believeco (+84.3%), respectively. Which makes The Romans’ performance all the more remarkable, with the UK agency taking third place after growing 90% to $17.1m.

Two more UK firms feature in the top 15, both of which can credit sectoral expertise for helping to drive their growth. In sixth position is financial consultancy Drofa Comms (+69.5%), while tech stalwart Clarity (+51.4%) ranks tenth. The USA accounts for another three firms in public affairs specialist ROKK Solutions (+54.5%) in eighth, new conglomerate Next Practices Group (+50.1%) in eleventh and boutique player Confidant (+44%) at 14.

India supplies two firms to the top 15 this year, in the shape of generalist consultancy seventh-ranked Kaizzen (+63%) and social impact player On Purpose (+42.2%). In between those two are firms from Chile (MGC), Brazil (Sherlock Communications) and Germany (LHLK) — reflecting the increased geographic diversity on display among our Fast Movers this year.

It’s an all-new UK table this year: none of the 10 fastest-growing agencies based in the UK were featured in 2023. The slowdown in the UK market is obvious, with the threshold for inclusion being fee income growth of just 24.4%, compared to 54.6% last year. That’s still a fraction higher than 2021, though, where the tenth fastest-growing agency grew by 22%.

The top spot for the UK is taken by The Tilton Consultancy – founded by former APCO and Coca-Cola EMEA comms chief Jonathan Chandler in 2021 – which is also the fastest-growing agency in the world, with growth of 123.2% to fees of $1.6m. This also shows a slightly reduced level of growth at the top end of the table compared to last year, when the fastest-growing UK agency was up by 148%.

Newer agencies frequently make an appearance in this table – unsurprisingly in the early years of rapid growth – but second, third and fourth place this year go to well-established agencies. In second place is The Romans, which grew by nearly 90% to just over $17m, after a stellar year that included expansion to Amsterdam and Dubai.

Third place goes to financial and fintech comms specialist Drofa Communications, founded by Valentina Drofa in 2011, which grew by 69.5% to $4.5m. Fourth place goes to Clarity – one of two technology agencies in the table after a particularly tough year for the sector – which grew by over 51% to $18.3m, partly thanks to the acquisition of Sydney-based Sefiani, the group’s first APAC expansion.

Another tech agency, high-growth B2B and B2C start-up and scale-up specialist Words + Pixels, grew by 38.5% to $2.3m in fee income in its third year in business, taking the midway point in the table. Sixth place goes to strategic communications firm Woodrow, with growth of more than 37% to almost $3.7m.

In seventh place is the highest-placed of two healthcare specialists in the UK table: InnerCircle, launched by former Evoke Kyne director Willoughby Badger in 2022 – which grew by 36% to almost $1.3m. Healthcare specialist 90TEN, meanwhile, is in tenth place, with growth of 24.4% to just shy of $13m.

Eighth place is taken by 14-year-old digital content agency The 10 Group, which grew by a round 30% to $9.9m, and ninth place goes to Taylor Herring – which has gone from strength to strength since being acquired by Publicis in 2021 and posted fee income growth of 25% to $12.7m.