IN just under eight years Mike Perls has built one of Manchester largest PR, marketing and design agencies.

After working in advertising for the Manchester Evening News, he left to work for a design agency before launching his new business MC2 , with a colleague and one employee in October 1999.

Today, the company has more than 30 staff, an office in London, and a client list reading like a Who's Who? of corporate Manchester, with accountants Deloitte, Grant Thornton, banking giant HSBC, stockbrokers WH Ireland and Cheshire Building Society, all on MC2's books.

There are six strings to the company's bow-marketing consultancy; public relations; financial PR; design; new media; and media planning and buying.

Turnover in MC2's first full year of trading was just under £450,000. Last year it was £2.2m and is expected to top £3m in the next financial year.

The business has continued to develop this year and in April made perhaps its boldest move - the launch of an office in London, focusing on financial PR.

Mr Perls hired an executive from Brunswick - one of the largest City PRs - and the former head of communications at the London Stock Exchange to staff his new venture.

The ambitious Mr Perls' vision is for MC2 to be the most successful independent agency in the north by 2010 based on four criteria: staff retention; client retention; financial performance and brand recognition.

He says the agency's culture and its people have driven its success to date.

"Our development programmes ensure that each individual is treated as such and we have developed eminence through encouraging flexibility, responsibility and autonomy."



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