Access PR announces management changes

Access Public Relations today announced that co-founder and managing partner Rochelle Burbury will leave the business at the end of this year.

Burbury, (left,) who founded the agency with managing partner Andrea Kerekes in January 2008, will take a break to devote more time to her young family.

Kerekes becomes the majority shareholder of the agency with non-executive chairman Simon Corah increasing his current shareholding.

In addition, Simon Lloyd has been promoted to head of consulting with his responsibilities widening to include strategic and business management responsibilities.

Over four years, Burbury and Kerekes have grown the independent agency to 12 staff and more than 30 blue chip clients. Last financial year, revenue grew by 50 per cent. 

Says Burbury: “I am personally enormously proud to have created and grown with Andrea what has become a successful and thriving business. While I am of course sad to leave, Access PR is in great shape with long-term clients and a brilliant, dedicated team.

I have worked as a journalist and more recently in PR for 25 years and the time has come for me to take a break and focus on my two young children. And despite the euphemism associated with that, it is actually what I intend to do for a time and then I will consider my options.”

Burbury will continue to be involved with the agency through its media training business, Access Media Training.

Says Kerekes: “We are both very proud of the successful, independent agency we have built together and the calibre of clients and staff we work with,” said Kerekes. “I completely understand and support Rochelle’s decision and of course wish her all the best. It will remain business as usual at Access PR and the agency continues to grow.”

Access PR’s portfolio spans consumer and corporate clients, including Fairfax Media, SBS, Masters Home Improvement, Steggles, The Newspaper Works, Pizza Hut, Fairfax Events (including Crave Sydney International Food Festival and The Sun-Herald City2Surf), Starcom MediaVest Group, and FremantleMedia Australia.