Top 50 independents

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delman once again took the top spot as the UK’s largest independent agency, with a fee income of £28.8m. Although it is still far ahead of the field, it has closer competition than last year.

The Engine Group’s 38 per cent rise in fee income puts it in second place at £22.3m. The rise is partly a product of its acquisition of financial services and capital markets specialist Penrose Financial in April 2010, and its subsequent merger of the Mandate, Hogarth and Penrose Financial brands into MHP Communications in October.

There are few major changes at the top of the table, but there are some double-digit growth figures. Portland jumped from 11th to seventh with 30 per cent growth. The political comms specialist made

a raft of senior hires last year, including appointing Downing Street’s head of strategic comms Mark Flanagan to head a new digital division.

College Hill put in a steady performance with 16 per cent growth, and Four Communications Group, which bought BGB Communications at the end of last year, rose by 20 per cent (see Key Performers).

As in 2009, Lansons Communications did not have a great year, dropping four per cent, although its exposure to the financial services and public sectors may explain the figure. Similarly, agencies that have public sector work have also felt the pressure, with The Big Partnership and Freshwater UK both shrinking by nine per cent.

In contrast, notable winners in 2010 included PHA Media, which has grown by nearly half; Pretty Green, which shot up 145 per cent; and digital specialist We Are Social, which grew by 190 per cent. For more details about We Are Social, read Ones to Watch.

As our analysis of profit figures on page 25 shows, the industry’s independent consultancies are maintaining similar margins to agencies that are part of larger marcoms groups.