Management buyout will give Orchard a fruitful future

There is exciting news in the Orchard today as we take the first step into our 'next chapter'. As an agency we are looking to a long and exciting future as two of our senior management team are taking over the business.

Brooke Kenyon and Chris Chilton have acquired the company from founders Steve and Lois Falla and will lead Orchard with immediate effect, Brooke as Client Services Director and Chris as Operations Director.

Steve is remaining in the business as executive consultant.

Reflecting on the changes Steve said that Orchard had established a culture of growing and developing people and the acquisition was a natural succession. The values and ethos of the business will remain – to be clear, ethical and expert in assisting organisations to communicate effectively with their stakeholders.

Lois and I know that this transition will sustain Orchard’s passion, energy and focus to enable it to build on 21 years of success and continue to thrive in the future. Brooke and Chris have made an enormous contribution to the development of the company in recent years and it is now time for them to take control and drive it forward.

It is rewarding that two of the ‘Orchard family’, have enthusiastically taken this step and it’s the right way forward for our well-established portfolio of clients and our talented staff.

Brooke said:

Orchard is a fantastic business with a great track record. Chris and I are excited about this opportunity and we are looking forward to working alongside our brilliant team to produce high quality and creative work for our clients, developing new and dynamic ways for them to communicate with their key audiences.

Chris said:

Steve has built a team of brilliant PR professionals who can deliver across the communications spectrum. We’re committed to maintaining this high standard and using it as a launchpad to develop the expertise of the team further.

Both Brooke and Chris have worked with Orchard for almost a decade.

Chris is a Chartered PR Practitioner and has completed the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) post-graduate diploma in public relations. Before joining Orchard he worked in the media, public sector and finance industry in London.

Brooke has a degree in public relations and is a CIPR Accredited Practitioner. An experienced communications professional, she also worked in London with a range of consumer lifestyle brands. She is a committee member of the CIPR Channel Islands group.