A HALE business has expanded its team with the appointment of business development specialist Andrew Redfern.

Andrew, 31, joins the Greater Manchester digital marketing agency First Internet following over 12 years in B2B and B2C business development roles, as an in-house commercial lead and in consultative roles.

At First Internet, his aim is to build on the success the award-winning outfit has enjoyed over the last few month. The 15-strong team has combined existing client growth and awards with new client wins across a number of sectors including tech, health and safety and chemical and beauty.

Andrew will be reporting to the board of directors including Julaine Speight, who said: “Our heritage is very much in the North West but over the last 10 months we have started working with clients much further afield and this is something we’re keen to build on.

“Andrew has strong contacts across the UK as well as a proven track record in building existing businesses and start-ups, so he will play a very central role in our expansion.”

Andrew added: “It’s an exciting time for digital. Public online behaviour continues to evolve and businesses need to embrace this, while adapting their everyday systems and marketing output to perform remotely.

“ I’m really looking forward to engaging with First Internet’s existing portfolio of clients and building new relationships that will build on the agency’s hugely successful organic growth.”

First Internet is an award-winning full-service digital marketing agency - services include website design and development, UX design, SEO, social media management and content marketing. Clients include PZ Cussons, Peak ai, Citation, Metro Rod, Sew Direct and more.

Set up 20 years ago, it has recently won a raft of awards for its work including Winner of Small Digital Agency of the Year at the Prolific North Awards 2020 and Highly commended for Best Small Budget Campaign at the Northern Marketing Awards 2020.

Services include website design and development, UX design, SEO, social media management and content marketing.

“The appointment of Andrew comes at a critical time for us,” added Julaine.

“We’ve enjoyed a very good, steady growth and it’s enabled us to really assess where our expertise lies and where we want to take the business.

“2020 has seen a great number of changes for all of us, and at First Internet we’ve used the time saved on commuting for extra training and research. Digital moves very fast, so it’s actually proved a very productive time for us all, we’ve been getting the new clients bedded in, ensuring we are up to date on all the latest tech developments.”