Kiernan agency to focus on opinion leader strategy
pharmafile | June 5, 2009 | News story | Medical Communications |Â Â Expert HealthÂ
The former managing director of GCI Health has set up a communications agency aimed at pharma companies and other healthcare clients.
Paul Keirnan, who has also worked at Abbott Laboratories and PR firm Edelman, has launched Expert Health Communications to provide what he calls "silver hair" counsel for companies.
Expert and opinion leader liaison, advocacy and advisory board strategy are its key offerings. "We are not going to be limited to that, but these are the core skills," Keirnan said.
The agency has two clients at present but is not allowed to name them, he added.
He has worked with clients such as AstraZeneca and Lilly in a 25-year career in the health and PR sectors.
"We are not going to be competing for global pitches," Keirnan continued. "We will be looking at smaller- to mid-size pharma, with a big focus on biotech and consumer health companies as well.
"Classically, consumer health brands spend a lot on advertising and work on social media, but there is a big gap in terms of expert endorsement."
Headcount is likely to remain small at Keirnan's Nottingham base.
It is likely that senior managers will be part of a "virtual" network which can be accessed for advice by clients, such as the new agency's consumer health director Denise Doran.
"We are recruiting clients and from there will build a team," Keirnan continued. He is likely to recruit a number of junior staff, he says.
He expects revenue to be up to half a million pounds at the end of six months.
Keirnan has a strong pedigree in PR and pharma: he was head of GCI Health until December last year when his post was made redundant.
He started his career as a brand manager in Boots Pharmaceuticals in pain (NSAIDs), surgery, cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity.
At BASF Pharma's international marketing team he launched obesity treatment Reductil and was then global brand director for the product after Abbott took over BASF.
He was also director of healthcare at Edelman PR, running the agency's consumer division and then director of consumer health and food issues.
