IBM UK Ltd will spin off its marketing and communications department into an independent agency on January 1 1993. The as yet unnamed company will also compete for contracts from high technology companies, but not ones in the computer industry because of the competition this would create with IBM, according to Derek Nash, who speaks for the new company. The agency will take over responsibility for IBM promotions, exhibitions and sponsorship from marketing and communications. It will also commission advertising for IBM from GGK London Ltd and Still Price Court Twivy D’Souza Lintas Ltd, IBM’s existing advertising agencies. Chris Heal, former head of IBM UK’s marketing and communications department, will be chairman and managing director of the new company. Its base is not fixed but Basingstoke is the favoured location.
