A quick Q&A with Jaideep Shergill, co-founder, Pitchfork Partners

One remembers our interview with both of you when you launched, and the clear idea then was that you would not get into an execution mode on routine communications activity. But with the acquisition of Seven and the launch of Archer Freres, you’re now part of the PR brigade. I know you’ll had mentioned that you may acquire or tie-up with specialised service providers, but is this a ‘ghar waapsi’ of sorts?
As the name suggests, Pitchfork Partners Strategic Consulting is and will be a Strategy firm across Brand & Corp comms and Business issues. Having said this, we have continued to support our clients who are front and centre for us with their execution needs by creating an ecosystem of partners across PR, Internal comms, CSR comms, Digital and Social media, Research, Creative, Design to name a few. This model has served us well and will continue.

Archer Frères has been set up as part of one of the big areas we wanted to support in our original raison d’être of supporting and mentoring colleagues in the industry. The Seven Comms team has also been a part of out ecosystem since the beginning and we are only taking the relationship to the next level. The business will operate separately and its likely that we may have other partners in our ecosystem move to the same stature as Seven has now with the launch of Archer Frères, so watch this space!

How would you say has the PR industry changed from 2014-end when you’ll exited PR full-time to now?

We continue to believe that there is a huge untapped opportunity and we must continue to better our lot. In that sense, I am not sure too much has changed.

What’s the aspiration for Archer Freres now that the two ‘maharathis’ are promoting it. Grow it to something like a Hanmer and eventually sell it? Or would you like to be a boutique agency, as it is now.

Archer Frères will remain a boutique. Sunil and I are big believers in the boutique model and that’s how it will stay.

One still remembers the early days of Hanmer, and the way it grew is by hiring top talent, and one of them included you, Jaideep. Are you looking at doing the same with Archer?

Archer Frères already has great talent, having said this, we will always continue to groom talent and bring them in when we find them

You’ve mentioned that you are looking at other acquisitions too, not necessarily in PR. Which are these domains going to be, and what’s the timeframe?

All I will say is that you will need to watch this space. Soon enough!

So what’s with this love for names… first Hanmer & Partners and now Archer Freres?
All credit to Sunil. He is the one with the names! Its fun though. We have always loved having unusual naming conventions starting with Hanmer & Partners, Pitchfork Partners and now Archer Frères.