(L - R): Julian Pearce, director of Yasper and Adrian, founder and MD of Umpf.

New marketing comms agency launches in Leeds city centre following investment

Communications and marketing business Yasper has launched in Leeds, following investment from established award-winning agency Umpf.

The new entity will share office space with Umpf on the city’s waterfront and both parties will take advantage of collaborative working opportunities.

Launched by Julian Pearce, a PR professional with two decades of experience in media relations, stakeholder comms, marketing and brand, Yasper promises an ‘agile approach’ to communications, putting an outsourced expert at the boardroom table for clients.

The arrangement gives Yasper an immediate physical footprint in the heart of the city centre, and the ability to draw on creativity, resources and experience from Umpf’s 14-strong team, based in Leeds and London. Yasper launches with a strong line-up of clients and project work, some of which is being delivered alongside Umpf.

On setting up the new business, Julian said: “Yasper represents a long-held ambition of mine to set up and run my own agency bringing together the knowledge I’ve gathered and my own ethos on good communications.

“I’ve lived in Leeds half my life and am proud to call the city my home. Having delivered strategic communications advice for some of Yorkshire’s brightest and best brands, as well as major national organisations, I’m excited for this next chapter.

“Umpf coming on board and taking a stake in the business is the icing on the cake for me. Adrian and I started our PR careers at the same agency and I spent a spell working alongside him around a decade ago. I hugely admire their work and feel honoured to have been welcomed in by such a great team.”

MD and Founder of Umpf, Adrian Johnson, added: “I’ve known Jules for a long time and I jumped at the chance to help him set up Yasper. His experience, contacts and proven ability to grow a business is already bearing fruit and we’re very happy to have taken a stake in his business.

“In the coming weeks and months, we’ll continue to work very closely on a relationship that will provide significant value to both parties.”

Julian added: “This deal allows me to accelerate my plans to grow Yasper into a strong and recognised presence in the region and the North. My promise to clients is that Yasper will only work on briefs that deliver true value. We’re not here to take the money and run and we’ll be a supportive friend, not afraid to tell it how it is.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily