GEMMA BELL AND COMPANY ANNOUNCES NEW DEPARTMENTS AND SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Creative hospitality agency Gemma Bell and Company Ltd. is excited to announce its senior leadership team and change in agency structure, adding Projects and Partnerships divisions to sit alongside its industry-leading Communications and Marketing and Creative departments. Led by Founder Gemma Bell, this is the largest period of growth the agency has seen since its inception in 2011. The agency’s founding ethos remains, prioritising bespoke services and an in-house approach for its carefully-curated client list.

Gemma says, “12 years ago, I took the plunge and founded an agency specialising in hospitality PR, setting the stage for what would become an incredible journey. Since those early days, some truly incredible individuals have come aboard and now I’m thrilled to share the latest chapter in our story. Today, we're not just celebrating our roots in PR, we're unveiling our natural evolution into a creative agency, shaped by the unique talents and contributions of this outstanding senior team. As well as supporting our cherished clients, we're now partnering with national and international businesses at the forefront of hospitality innovation, building some of the most interesting brands while guiding the next generation. I couldn’t be prouder of our entire team and what they’ve achieved in bringing these departments to life.”

PROJECTS

Gemma Bell and Company has provided strategic advice to clients informally for many years, and is now offering these services officially via a new Projects division. Led by Pani Soutis, the team focuses on creative strategy, consultancy and production, with the aim of championing originality in hospitality.

In January, the agency was asked by the forthcoming V&A East to find an operator for the museum’s restaurant and establish a new era of hospitality in cultural spaces. With our vast web of collaborators and connections, we were able to source the right talent with the right vision for the project. From programming to curating and producing the most interesting line-ups, we look forward to helping many more organisations with strategic projects – particularly those that support up-and-coming and under-represented talent.

We also offer consultancy for soon-to-launch or pre-existing businesses, honing F&B offerings and revamping soft operations to enhance the guest experience. As London mavens, we specialise in brand localisation, equipping global brands with the insight they need to tailor their offer to local needs.

PARTNERSHIPS

We have always been in the business of bringing people and brands together but with the expectation for smarter partnerships developing exponentially over the last few years, we are focusing evermore on creating innovative pairings that make a real impact. Our new Partnerships division, led by Lily Hough, cultivates and delivers thoughtful and unexplored collaborations.

Offering end-to-end partnership management from ideation to execution across brand campaigns, global residencies, venue sourcing and talent management, we know the value of reaching and engaging like-minded, previously untapped audiences. Combining clairvoyance and ingenuity with our industry knowledge, and our expansive hospitality contacts with our wider creative and cultural network, we are in prime position to make bold connections with fashion, lifestyle, travel and the arts.

MARKETING AND CREATIVE

In 2020, Gemma Bell and Company developed its Marketing and Creative department to support long-standing clients Ottolenghi and Angela Hartnett with their social media output and content creation. This enabled us to develop a successful new arm, led by Jen Hampson, that now works with various hospitality businesses offering services including social media management, marketing strategy, brand identity and content production.

Today, our team is a mix of marketeers and creatives, skilled at both establishing and growing brands, as well as developing and managing conversion campaigns for independents and institutions. We also offer workshops for smaller businesses that require marketing and creative guidance, but prefer to keep their day-to-day management in-house.

COMMUNICATIONS

Since the beginning, our team has launched countless restaurants, bakeries, bars, hotels and specialised brands, each story unique and each campaign tailored. We’re proud of the long term relationships we share with so many clients, and excited about ones that have only just begun. Our premise hasn’t changed; work with good people doing great things, whether a pizza joint, new drinks brand, neighbourhood bistro, Michelin-starred restaurant or luxury hotel, quality and authenticity have always defined our client list.

Led by Lois Brown, our team is made up of experts in hospitality, sharing a common obsession with food, drink and travel who come armed with a talent for telling stories that cut through the noise and generate long lasting interest.

Managing Director, Alice Grier, will return from maternity leave in 2024.