PR is very important
Under the ambiguous name Vipr, 48-year-old Ralph Spillmann and 42-year-old Christian Weber have founded a PR agency that specializes in financial communications.
Under the ambiguous name Vipr, 48-year-old Ralph Spillmann and 42-year-old Christian Weber have founded a PR agency that specializes in financial communications. "The name can be read as PR for Very Important Persons," comments Weber. The VIPs that Spillmann and Weber are targeting as clients are CFOs or CEOs, for example of financial institutions that want to make their products appealing to investors. Other potential clients are medium-sized companies that are preparing their IPO or want to create credibility and transparency with lenders.
The two experts see a growing need for communication between companies and investors in particular and cite corporate communication, PR for financial products, media support and content management as further focal points of the agency.
The two managing partners are ideally equipped for these tasks: Both have a background in journalism as well as professional experience in PR departments at major banks and PR agencies. Spillmann was an editor at Finanz und Wirtschaft and Cash Invest for eleven years and was head of PR in the fund sector for CS and UBS. He also holds a federal PR consultant diploma and was a member of the management of the PR agency Peter P. Knobel.
Weber started out as a journalist in 1985 and wrote about business topics for five years, most recently as head of the money section at HandelsZeitung. He then held various positions in marketing and PR at Credit Suisse. In 1996, Weber switched to the agency side and took up the post of PR Director at Suter Global Communication.
With this background, both managing directors combine financial know-how with experience in PR. "Agencies often lack solid financial knowledge," says Spillmann, "we can fill this gap."
While Weber had already taken on mandates for Vipr, Spillmann was still committed to UBS until November 30 and then made a flying transfer to his new agency. The third member of the Vipr team is PR assistant Barbara Kohler (ba).
The two experts see a growing need for communication between companies and investors in particular and cite corporate communication, PR for financial products, media support and content management as further focal points of the agency.
The two managing partners are ideally equipped for these tasks: Both have a background in journalism as well as professional experience in PR departments at major banks and PR agencies. Spillmann was an editor at Finanz und Wirtschaft and Cash Invest for eleven years and was head of PR in the fund sector for CS and UBS. He also holds a federal PR consultant diploma and was a member of the management of the PR agency Peter P. Knobel.
Weber started out as a journalist in 1985 and wrote about business topics for five years, most recently as head of the money section at HandelsZeitung. He then held various positions in marketing and PR at Credit Suisse. In 1996, Weber switched to the agency side and took up the post of PR Director at Suter Global Communication.
With this background, both managing directors combine financial know-how with experience in PR. "Agencies often lack solid financial knowledge," says Spillmann, "we can fill this gap."
While Weber had already taken on mandates for Vipr, Spillmann was still committed to UBS until November 30 and then made a flying transfer to his new agency. The third member of the Vipr team is PR assistant Barbara Kohler (ba).
