Lothar Bohm extends UK reach

German branding and packaging consultancy Lothar Böhm plans to double the size of its British operation by the end of the year, after opening its first UK office in London’s Soho last week.

The group has just opened its doors in Denman Street, W1, with five staff, but already has ambitions to become ten-strong by December and to double in size again next year, says UK managing director Zoë Tuttle.

A creative director for the office has not yet been appointed, but the group is hoping to make an appointment very soon, she adds.

Tuttle joined the group from the brands division of London branding consultancy Pi Global, where she worked as planner and senior account director for seven years, working with clients such as Mars and Procter & Gamble. At Pi Global, she helped set up the innovation department Pid8.

Consultancy founder Lothar Böhm attributes his group’s UK move to what he says is the growing demand from multinational clients for consultancies with ‘cross-cultural expertise and cross-market presence’.

‘London has long been acknowledged as the design capital of Europe,’ says Böhm. ‘It has a real dynamism and professionalism and we’re excited to be working alongside some of the greatest design groups in the industry. Our new London division will make our existing expertise more readily accessible to the international community.’

Jan Schüler takes the post of UK business development director, while the incoming UK creative director will report to the group’s executive creative director in Hamburg, Christine Lischka. She has worked at Lothar Böhm, Hamburg, for ten years, and previously worked for Enterprise IG Germany.

The 35-year-old consultancy employs more than 70 people in two offices located in Hamburg, Germany and Warsaw, Poland. It is one of the largest independent design groups in Germany, specialising in 2D and 3D design for brand packaging.

Among its clients, Lothar Böhm counts brands such as Nivea, Knorr, Persil and Fanta.

See www.boehm-design.com for more information.