Worldwide confusion at Allen International

We were eager for the results of the Design Week 1998 Top 100 Consultancy Survey (DW 27 March) to see how we matched up against our competitors. I was surprised and disappointed that apparently we had fallen in the league to 64th place.

This is an unfortunate and misleading impression since the quoted fee-income of 1.9m accounted only for our UK clients. While our design work is done in London, we also have partners in nine countries and operate worldwide.

Taking the worldwide business, all of which is billed through our London office, our fee-income last year was 3.2m. On this basis we would have been placed considerably higher in the league table in about 34th position.

Allen International is currently investing in an extensive growth and development programme. Far from failing we are laying the platform for further expansion both in the UK and worldwide.

Michael Allen

Managing director

Allen International

London W14

The Top 100 is based on design fee-income derived through UK offices, as stated on the survey form. According to Allen International’s completed form, this was 1.92m, with a further 1.3m generated abroad – Ed