London, 30th August 2007 – Hotwire, the international technology PR agency, today announced the win of global technology giant NEC UK, adding to its portfolio of leading global brand. NEC UK was looking for an agency which could move beyond tactical delivery and help it deliver against its strategic business objectives through PR. Hotwire’s brief is to ensure NEC UK has a voice and profile equal to its status as a leader in key areas such as the next generation world and digital entertainment. NEC UK’s vision is to translate the technology leadership it already enjoys into market and brand leadership through highly strategic marketing and PR. This will be valuable as NEC UK moves from being a company that is known for the strength of its individual products to a solutions provider.

Hotwire was appointed because of its considerable experience across the technology and telecoms market. Hotwire’s creative approach and track record of delivery on large scale campaigns were also an influencing factor in selection. 
 
Scott McLean, who leads the account said: “NEC is a global technology player with significant presence and success in the UK, yet without the external profile to match. The appointment of Derek Owen as General Manager, Marketing, is indicative of the ambition for change that NEC has and that Hotwire will be supporting. We are in the process of embedding the team within the company and providing both the strategic counsel and the tactical delivery that will be required to put NEC at the front of the UK technology stage.”
 
“NEC UK is one of the technology industry’s best kept secrets,” said Derek Owen, General Manager, Marketing NEC UK, who Hotwire reports in to. “Look around and you will find our products at the heart of some of the most significant developments in the UK. However, NEC needs to exert a more forceful external presence and to be more directly influencing key UK decision-makers. In Hotwire I have found a team that can deliver against these objectives and support the changes that I am helping to make within NEC UK. We have seen some fantastic results already from the Hotwire team and I am confident that the campaign will help us achieve our goals and drive direct value to the business.”
 
Hotwire is embracing the task of placing NEC UK at the forefront of thought leadership in the UK IT industry by working on NEC UK projects such as media outreach around NEC UK’s role as Technology Partner for The O₂, London’s biggest entertainment venue, and the Digital Switch Over.
 
About NEC UK
Founded in 1973, NEC UK is responsible for the marketing, sales, installation and service of a comprehensive range of NEC's IT, communications and display technologies. With a proven track record in technical consultancy and multiple product streams, NEC UK can design, install and manage standalone and integrated solutions for corporate clients and their networks.

In mobile communications, NEC UK delivers the latest network infrastructure. For the business market, NEC UK supplies converged network solutions, physical and electronic security systems and advanced IT solutions, from server and storage hardware to e-business and supply chain management services. NEC UK also offers a complete range of display products and managed services based on its latest display screens and projectors for the corporate, professional AV and Home Theatre markets. The turnover of NEC UK was over £300 million, year ending March 2004.
 
About Hotwire
Hotwire is an international technology public relations consultancy established to provide the technology industry with progressive PR services.
 
Since its foundation, Hotwire has won a number of prestigious awards across Europe, being named as ‘Europe's fastest growing technology PR consultancy’ in 2007 and winning Sabre Awards for ‘Best PR Campaign in France’ and ‘Best Pan-European Programme’. In 2006 Hotwire was named as the ‘Best Consultancy to Work For’ according to the Holmes Report, and won the Top Com Trophée in the consumer category. In November 2005 the company was named European Technology Agency of the Year by the Holmes Report.  Hotwire has also been awarded ‘Best IT PR Company’ at the Computing Industry Awards, the French Public Relations Top Com d’Or Trophée in the Corporate Business category, and the International Public Relations Association’s Best Business-to-Business Campaign for its work with Scottish telecoms company THUS.
 
The company has six specialist practice areas: applications & services, banking & finance, consumer, digital media, enterprise & electronics and telecommunications. It has offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid and Milan.