Manchester-based Refresh PR has welcomed two new members to its expanding team.

Tom Lay and Gemma Cannon both join the city centre agency as senior account executives, working across a number of existing and new trade and consumer accounts.

Lay joins Refresh PR having previously worked in the built environment sector, and is already an integral part of the B2B team, working with market-leading companies such as Saint-Gobain Glass. Prior to working in the built environment sector, he worked with a number of SMEs providing PR support and launched ‘Bad Hair Day’ in 2009 – the national charity campaign which raised awareness for the condition alopecia.

With more than four years’ agency experience, Cannon joins with a wealth of knowledge having worked across high profile accounts in the hospitality, catering and sports sectors. She will focus on the agency’s food and drink and home interest clients as well as ensuring every client reaps the benefits of her vast social media expertise; follow her on Twitter @GemmaC_PR for insights.

Laura Mashiter, founder of Refresh PR, is delighted with how the new team members have settled in: “We met Tom and Gemma and knew they were both a perfect fit.  We knew the agency would benefit from their very different – but equally impressive – knowledge, attitude and enthusiasm.

“Refresh PR has just been shortlisted in the CIPR’s Pride Awards as Outstanding Small Consultancy of the Year, something we’re all very proud of.  To achieve this recognition, and maintain it going forwards, we need great people who buy in to our philosophy of putting our clients at the centre of everything we do.  They’ve both hit the ground running and are going from strength to strength and I’m looking forward to seeing where this team will take us in the coming months and years.”