Hotwire UK chief executive and 33 Digital founder, Drew Benvie, is leaving the agency today to launch Battenhall, a communications agency for the social media economy.

Launching on Friday, 8 March, the agency will focus on social media and PR. It already has three UK clients and five staff.

Benvie worked at Hotwire from 2001 to 2003, before returning in 2007 to lead its digital practice.

Hotwire’s UK managing director, Alex MacLaverty, and 33 Digital managing director Peter Sigrist will now report directly to Hotwire CEO Brendon Craigie.