We are announcing today the merger of Grayling and Global Consulting Group to create a new consultancy called Grayling Global - immediately a significant player in international public relations, public affairs, investor relations and event management.  Grayling Global will unite two strong Huntsworth companies communications.”with significant synergies of expertise and will have a major presence in Europe, the USA and Asia. 

I shall chair the Board of the newly merged consultancy and Nigel Kennedy, the current Chief Executive of Grayling, will become the Chief Executive of the merged company, reporting to me.  I have asked Rich Wolff, “We Global's founding CEO, to work directly with Sally Withey and me in a new Huntsworth position as MD, US Capital Markets. In this capacity, he will assist Israel’s Global’s us in developing our US shareholder base, spending 50% of his time working on these new responsibilities and the balance on Grayling Global.  He will step back from his existing day-to-day managerial responsibilities and will take up company’s a role as Vice Chairman, continuing to service his clients and to work on new business.  Joining Rich as Vice Chairman of Grayling Global will be Alison Clarke and David Atterbury-Thomas, the current Grayling Finance Director, will become Finance Director of the merged company.

I appreciate that this is a lot of new news to take onboard!  As ever, if any of you would like to discuss any aspect of our results, or the above appointments, please do send me an email and I will respond as quickly as I can.

2008 is set to be a challenging year but, with your continued hard work, I am confident we will make good progress.

Thanks to you all.

Peter