Huawei hands UK brief to Pelham and Harvard

Huawei Technologies has hired two new PR partners as it plans to make a 1.2 billion pound investment to expand its UK operations.

The Chinese technology firm has handed Pelham Bell Pottinger a contract to handle its corporate PR, while Harvard PR has been tasked with business-to-business communications, reports PRWeek.

Both of these briefs were previously handled by Fleishman-Hillard, which is being retained by Huawei as its consumer PR partner.

Ed Brewster, communication director at Huawei UK and Ireland, said: "We have been impressed with Pelham and Harvard's ability to deliver an integrated offering and team."

Huawei is the world's second-largest telecoms equipment manufacturer and is aiming to expand its UK workforce to more than 1,500 people in the next five years, meaning around 700 new positions are to be created.

In plans outlined in a discussion with prime minister David Cameron earlier this month, the company has also pledged to invest in a number of global centres of technical and financial excellence in the UK.