WAGGENER EDSTROM WORLDWIDE NAMES GLOBAL ANALYST RELATIONS PRACTICE LEAD

LONDON -

- BASED IN LONDON, ANNEMIEK HAMELINCK WILL HEAD GLOBAL TEAM OF OVER 45 AR SPECIALISTS

Global multiservice communications agency Waggener Edstrom Worldwide (WE) today announced it has formalized its Global Analyst Relations (AR) Practice, under Annemiek Hamelinck, senior vice president based in WE’s London office. The agency has been conducting analyst relations consulting services on behalf of its global clients for more than a decade. With Hamelinck’s leadership, the practice will offer a more structured and streamlined AR services offering that maps to the increasingly complex business demands of WE’s client base.

Hamelinck has worked in technology communications since 1994, in three continents and on both consumer and enterprise accounts, from early-stage companies to some of the largest technology vendors in the industry including Cisco, Sun Microsystems and Nokia. Since joining WE, Hamelinck has headed up the Microsoft AR account, while also leveraging her expertise in analyst relations to counsel various teams on AR strategies, programming and training.

The practice provides comprehensive analyst relations services and consulting and is available to the agency’s other global practice groups - Corporate Communications, Consumer Marketing, Healthcare, Public Affairs, Technology and WE Social Innovation, as well as the WE Studio D(TM) digital strategies group.

“I’m so excited to lead WE’s Global AR Practice and raise the profile of this very strategic function. Our established expertise and continued innovation in this area, along with strong existing analyst relationships, already produce impactful outcomes for a variety of our clients,” Hamelinck said. “Formalizing this practice enables us to apply our AR methodology to more clients and build even deeper strategic relationships. The end result is higher levels of service and quantifiable outcomes for our clients.”

The Global AR Practice reinforces the agency’s focus on innovation and influence through the development of tools that tailor AR awareness campaigns to generate impact for clients. A handful of the practice’s unique solutions include these:

- AR Tiering Tool. The AR Tiering Tool simplifies and standardizes the process of analyst tiering. Identifying the aspects of analyst influence that translate to sales impact, enhanced market awareness and strategic advantage, it aids in consistently scoring individual analysts against those criteria, resulting in rigorous, transparent decision-making. - AR/PR Buddy Program. It’s a given that reporters reach out to analysts to help inform their stories. We pair targeted analysts with targeted reporters and help them build an ongoing and mutually beneficial relationship. - AR for Sales. Knowing the influence that industry analysts wield in the sales cycle, our AR for Sales program establishes a tighter and more programmatic alignment of AR to sales, using analyst evidence and opinion to assist the field in winning deals.

“Innovation is at the core of what we do as a company. Our approach to AR is no different,” Hamelinck said. “Recognizing the need to stand out in the midst of a crowded and noisy influence environment, we develop strategies that better target and allow us to engage with the analyst community in a more effective and compelling manner.”

About Waggener Edstrom Worldwide’s Global Analyst Relations Practice

The Global Analyst Relations Practice helps global clients navigate and effectively access the analysts who shape market opinion and customer buying decisions in their industry. Applying a unique AR methodology grounded in client business priorities, we engage target analysts to deliver impactful results that support sales and empower broader communications and marketing initiatives. Our integrated AR strategies help to influence perception and drive recommendations that lead to better business outcomes for our clients. More information is available at www.waggeneredstrom.co.uk/practices/analyst-relations.aspx.

About Waggener Edstrom Worldwide

Waggener Edstrom Worldwide (WE) is a global, integrated communications agency. For more than 25 years, the independently owned firm has developed strategic communications programmes for innovative and world-changing clients, working to influence markets, inspire people and improve lives. In 2009, WE was named one of UK’s 50 Best Workplaces by the Great Place to Work Institute list published in The Times. WE was also named European Technology Agency of the Year in 2008 and Best Large Agency to Work For by the Holmes Report in 2006. WE has earned numerous honours for its outstanding work on behalf of clients, for its exceptional people and for its innovation in communications. The agency has more than 800 employees in 16 offices around the world, and its 17 Global Alliance partners expand the agency’s reach to 30 additional international markets. WE has seven global practices: Analyst Relations, Consumer Marketing, Corporate Communications, Healthcare, Public Affairs, Technology and WE Social Innovation, along with its digital strategies group, WE Studio D(TM). More information can be found at www.WaggenerEdstrom.co.uk.

Waggener Edstrom, Innovation Communications and WE Studio D are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Source: Waggener Edstrom Worldwide

Errol Jayawardene of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, +44-207-632-3800, ejayawardene at waggeneredstrom.com