Buck has further expanded its communication capability with the acquisition of employee communications agency Caburn Hope.
This follows its acquisition of communications consultancy Concert in November last year. After a period of transition Caburn Hope will be merged into the Concert brand.
Sussex-based Caburn Hope was founded in 1993 and focuses on strategic employee and change management communications. This ranges from high level consultancy and communication planning to tactical campaigns to improve employee engagement and ROI.
Buck says this acquisition “complements and amplifies” Buck’s current capabilities, and will ensure it offers a “full-service employee communications practice” that can have a positive impact on every facet of the employee and member experience, including wellbeing.
Buck says it also aligns its employee communications capabilities in the UK with those of its award-winning employee communications business in North America.
After the transition Concert will be jointly led by Peter Walsh, founder of Concert Consulting and Elizabeth Spencer-Phillips, a founding director and lead strategist at Caburn Hope.
Buck’s UK managing director David Piltz says: “Caburn Hope has developed a reputation for excellence with both their UK and multinational clients. I’m delighted to introduce their strategic approach to employee communications to our clients as we help them continue to deliver on the social contract they’ve established with their people.”
Buck chief executive Jack Freker says this acquisition was “another notable milestone in Buck’s expansion over the past two years.”
He adds: “By creating a full-service strategic communications business focused exclusively on employee and member communication programmes in a highly competitive market, we’ll continue to provide the best possible service for our clients.”
Buck says it remains committed to making further acquisitions in the UK in the areas of pensions, investments, employee benefits, and engagement.