John Stannard has joined London-based DDA Public Relations as a partner with DDA founder/chairman Dennis Davidson and Lawrence Atkinson and Chris Paton. He also becomes chief financial officer for DDA Event Management, reporting to MD Caroline Warburton.

For the past 10 years, Stannard had been finance director at media group TVF Media and previously worked at accountancy firm Moore Stephens, Braveworld and Manga Entertainment.

Davidson said: 'I am hoping that John, with his vast financial and business expertise, can become as valuable to Lawrence and the ongoing growth of DDA as my original business partner, Tony Franklin, was to me. We have been searching to find that person for several years and I feel confident that John is the answer.'

Atkinson added 'As Dennis focuses more on his international producer's representation role, I will gradually take over the day to day management of the PR operations. As such, we both felt that I needed a strong financially orientated partner to work alongside me.'