Press Ahead Moves Forward with Management Buyout

A Sunderland based marketing communications company has undergone a management buyout following a successful 10-year growth plan.

Established in 2004, Press Ahead is comprised of 12 employees and is now led by managing director Kieron Goldsborough.  Stepping into that role after two years as creative director at the business, Goldsborough was supported and advised in the management buyout by Muckle LLP’s head of Corporate Robert Phillips and Solicitor Adam Rayner.

Press Ahead provides award winning PR, research and creative and media consultancy services to a portfolio of national, international and regional clients.  It has a wide range of clients in its portfolio, including Berghaus, Durham County Cricket Club, Owen Pugh, Sunderland AFC and Tyneside Cinema and will now be working on a high profile global celebrity fragrance launch under the direction of Goldsborough.

Company founder Russell Borthwick left the company to assume the managing director role for the North East division of Trinity Mirror, having previously worked for the digital and print publishers of The Journal in various positions.

Press Ahead expects to strengthen its existing team and broaden its marketing communications offering by shortly announcing key strategic appointments in order to capitalise on its positive start to the year.

Goldsborough said: “This is a very exciting time for the company. Russell built an extremely strong business over the last decade and we have enjoyed steady growth throughout and built presence across a number of industry sectors. We are in an excellent position to take the business forward into the next decade. We have an exceptionally skilled team of creatives, marketers, PR and advertising specialists and hard work and determination has paid off as we enjoyed a record year in 2013, in both turnover and profit.”

Robert Phillips from Muckle LLP said: “Given the economic climate of the last few years, Press Ahead is one of the few businesses in its field to encounter such growth. With high level strategic planning and an excellent reputation, the business has grown substantially and this is good news for the North East.  Press Ahead is certainly one to watch.”

For more information, help or advice on Corporate issues please contact Robert Phillips on

0191 211 7906.