Grayling has appointed Sophia Harrison as director of its financial & professional services team, whose clients include Lloyds TSB Wealth & International, Eversheds, Odgers, Emblaze, Ariya Capital, City Financial and Brookland.

Harrison has a strong track record in the City where she has 14 years’ experience working both in-house and agency. Most recently she was communications director at TLG and V-P corporate communications & public affairs at The Blackstone Group. She has also held senior roles at Standard & Poors Fund Services and Fitch. She started her career at PR agencies, Rostron Parry and Ludgate and has more recently worked with Merlin PR.

In a related move, Grayling director, Yvonne Maher is taking up the role of director, energy & industry, to focus on building the agency’s UK energy practice, whose clients include National Grid, ABB and Pelamis.  Maher currently leads Grayling’s Nabucco Gas Pipeline and OMV accounts and previously worked in-house for ExxonMobil in Brussels. 

Harrison and Maher will both report to Mary Whenman, managing director of Grayling’s corporate & financial practice. 

“As part of our growth strategy we are focussing our offer around energy & industry and financial & professional services,” said Whenman. “Sophia brings with her a wealth of experience in financial services as well as financial PR and deepens our expertise in institutional finance,” she continued.

Harrison said: “My move to Grayling follows a recent consulting role working with the corporate & financial team so I am excited at joining a highly talented group of professionals and continuing to build on the success of the group.”