Gordon leaves MKC to set up new firm

PUBLIC RELATIONS executive Ray Gordon has resigned as managing director of Dublin-based MKC Communications to set up his own media agency called Gordon MRM.

Mr Gordon, who is a former adviser to the Progressive Democrats, has taken three staff with him – Kieran Garry, Maria Whitmore and Eleanor Newman.

In addition, former journalist Brendan McGrath, who also worked for MKC, is being retained as a consultant with the new firm.

Mr Gordon has also retained the clients that he managed at MKC.

These include Irish Life Permanent, the Irish Stock Exchange, IBI Corporate Finance, Topaz Energy, Ion Equity and Budget Travel.

MKC has appointed Laurie Mannix as its new managing director. Fellow founder directors Tim Kinsella and Stephen O’Byrnes remain with the agency.

MKC was formed in 2005 through the merger of MRPA Communications, which was founded by Mr Gordon and Mr O’Byrnes, and Kinman Public Relations, which was formed by Mr Kinsella and Ms Mannix.

Its clients include Bewley’s, Google, Mazars, the EU Commission, Abbot and Worldspreads.

Mr Gordon said his firm will focus on media relations for corporates.

He is projecting revenues of more than €500,000 a year for the firm, which he will wholly own.

“Corporate media relations is going to be increasingly important in the next few years given the current economic environment and I wanted to focus on that,” he said.

Mr Gordon was press officer for the Progressive Democrats from 1987 to 1992.

He spent spent two years as head of media relations at Irish Life up to 1997 before setting up MRPA with Mr O’Byrnes.