Munich, January 31, 2019 — Sebastian Pauls is now a managing partner at Dr. Haffa & Partner. As of January 1, 2019, after acquiring shares of the GmbH, Pauls is now carrying on the tradition of Dr. Haffa & Partner as an owner-managed agency. He has assumed responsibility for the operations and strategic direction of the Munich-based agency, which specializes in IT and technology communications. The agency’s two founders will stay on as managing partners. Dr. Annegret Haffa will now manage the agency’s operations jointly with Pauls. Dr. Horst Höfflin will support them in an advisory role.
Pauls, 50, studied literature and political science and pursued a career as a journalist before transitioning to B2B communications. He has been with Dr. Haffa & Partner for 20 years. In 2011, he joined the management team and received a power of attorney granting authorization to represent the company in commercial matters.
Founded in 1986 by Dr. Annegret Haffa and Dr. Horst Höfflin as a public relations agency, Dr. Haffa & Partner was one of the first communications agencies in Germany to specialize in IT and technology. Today, the company provides consultation and implementation for B2B customers in the traditional disciplines of media relations and public relations in addition to digital communications and social media.
Continuity ensured
“Passing on the torch is no easy task for owners and founders. Business succession requires careful planning and preparation,” said Dr. Annegret Haffa. “Sebastian Pauls has been a driving force behind much of the progress the agency has made in recent years. He knows our customers and their markets and has a clear vision of how B2B communication works, and how it will work in the future. We’re delighted that he is now a partner and a managing director at our agency.”
A stronger focus on integrated communications and digital
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Sebastian Pauls, |
Pauls has been tasked with carrying on the philosophy of continuous innovation that has enabled Dr. Haffa & Partner to succeed in the ITC market for over 30 years.
Integrated communications will be the centerpiece of this strategy alongside conventional media relations, digital communications, content marketing, and other disciplines.
In recent years, Dr. Haffa & Partner has successfully increased the portion of its revenues earned with digital communications. The agency’s customers appreciate the pragmatic and creative approach its consultants take when implementing content marketing and social media as part of the B2B communications mix.
Happy employees make for happy customers
“In addition to growth and success, I’m also committed to maintaining the Dr. Haffa & Partner brand’s reputation as an outstanding employer for all types of PR talent ranging from interns to senior consultants,” said Sebastian Pauls. “I want our employees to look forward to coming to work at Dr. Haffa & Partner because we have fun here and give them the opportunity to advance their careers while accomplishing challenging tasks. All of these things benefit our customers, who appreciate the skills of our employees and can tell they truly enjoy their work. We do a number of things to make that happen. Each employee is encouraged to find the right balance between their personal and career goals, for instance. We just had two of our staff celebrate their 10-year anniversaries with the agency last year, so I know we’re doing something right. The extremely low consultant turnover our customers enjoy is practically unheard of in the industry.”
More tech, not just IT
In addition, Pauls seeks to bring in more tech firms as customers for the agency, and not just IT companies. “People come to us when they need complex technical subjects explained to complex markets,” said Pauls. “This is the expertise we employ for renowned technology firms such as TÜV SÜD when the topic is not strictly IT, but other complex subjects that demand a deep understanding of the underlying technologies so we can speak the language of the respective target groups.”
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