OREANDA-NEWS. Porta Communications Plc (AIM: PTC), the fast-growing international marketing and communications group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Charles Chichester as a new Senior Partner at Newgate Communications UK, leading its Financial PR practice. Reporting to Steffan Williams, Group Managing Director of Newgate and Porta Board member, Charlie will play a key role in the next stage of the company's development, increasing the size of its client base, strengthening the offering to the market, and growing awareness of Newgate particularly in the financial PR arena.

Charlie has spent 15 years working in the City, including nearly a decade operating in the field of strategic and financial communications. He started his career working for Cazenove (now JPMorgan Cazenove) as a sell-side equity analyst focusing on Pan-European Equities. He left investment banking to join Finsbury, where he was a Partner.

Charlie brings senior level expertise in his capacity as counsel to a variety of international clients, advising on a range of strategic communications issues. During his time he has worked on high profile M&A transactions such as Verizon/Vodafone, Carlsberg/Heineken/Scottish & Newcastle, CGI/Logica, Borse Dubai/OMX, London Metal Exchange/HKEx, Pace/Arris; stock exchange listings including African Barrick Gold, Coca-Cola Hellenic, TDC; and the demerger of Cable & Wireless, along with advising clients on debt restructurings, international arbitration and as a pension trustee adviser.

Commenting on the appointment Porta CEO David Wright said: "Charlie is another in our sequence of very senior hires, continuing our strategy to strengthen and expand our integrated consultancy offering.  We are building a powerful team of strategic communications advisors during this exciting period in Porta's development."

Steffan Williams, Group Managing Director of Newgate said: "I am delighted Charlie has agreed to come and join us. We have worked together in the past and the business will benefit from his many years of experience advising at a senior level in the City. There is a great opportunity ahead for our business and I look forward to working closely with Charlie through this stage of our development and beyond."