?ZURICH, Switzerland, May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Ketchum, one of the world's leading communications consultancies and the Holmes Report's EMEA Consultancy of the Year, has signed an exclusive agreement with PRfact, a leading firm in Switzerland. The agreement follows a partnership that began between the two firms last year.

David Gallagher, Ketchum senior partner and CEO of Europe, said, "The Swiss market is an increasingly important one for many of our global clients. With PRfact, we have identified a consultancy that has the right mix of powerful brand insights, in-depth digital expertise and globally significant clients, which proves its position as a market leader. We look forward to building a strong and fruitful partnership together."

Led by three managing partners, Alois Inderbitzin, Marc Schlittler and Patrick Mauron, PRfact is one of Switzerland's leading consumer relations agencies and also has recently expanded its corporate and sustainability expertise. Based in Zurich, the owner-managed company was formed in 2000 and has a team of 17 consultants offering a comprehensive range of strategic communications services, including public relations, social media, digital and event marketing.

PRfact's clients will benefit from the strength and depth of Ketchum's offerings and global network; at the same time, Ketchum's clients that plan to expand their business to Switzerland or wish to strengthen their presence in the Swiss market will continue to benefit from the high-quality, seamless service the firm delivers around the globe.

"We are very excited to have formed an exclusive partnership with Ketchum, as it demonstrates the strength of the work we do at PRfact and the success we have had working with Ketchum on behalf of its clients in the past year," said Schlittler. "Furthermore, being part of Ketchum's international network offers us many opportunities to work with global brands and coordinate with agency partners worldwide."

Now the largest firm in Europe, Ketchum significantly expanded its presence in the region when it merged with Pleon in 2009. The merger was one of the largest ever in the public relations industry and helped Ketchum grow to become one of the most geographically diverse communications consultancies in the world.

About PRfact
PRfact AG (www.prfact.ch) is one of the leading Swiss consumer relations agencies. Since incorporation in 2000, PRfact stands for successful communication measures and positioning consumer goods, IT, luxury and lifestyle brands. PRfact offers a range of interdisciplinary offline and online communication services, including PR, social media, digital and event marketing, with a strong emphasis on the use of consumer marketing insights and activities to create more effective programs for major global businesses.

About Ketchum
Ketchum is a leading global communications firm with operations in more than 70 countries across six continents. Named 2012 PR Agency of the Year (PRWeek) and the winner of an unprecedented three consecutive PRWeek Campaign of the Year Awards, Ketchum partners with clients to deliver strategic programming, game-changing creative and measurable results that build brands and reputations. For more information on Ketchum, a part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., visit www.ketchum.com.

About Diversified Agency Services
Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), manages Omnicom's holdings in a variety of marketing communications disciplines. DAS includes over 200 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations, and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

SOURCE Ketchum