First Protocol Announces New President of Managed Services, Barry Richards
As former president of Grass Roots' New York Office, key hire will drive strategy and accelerate growth
NEW YORK, April 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- First Protocol, a leading international events agency operating from offices in New York, London, Los Angeles and Singapore, today announced Barry Richards, acclaimed meeting and events executive, will join the agency as President of the firm's managed services division. The hiring of Mr. Richards and the expansion of the managed services division further bolster First Protocol's market assertion as an international events leader.
"First Protocol believes in providing the very best event delivery, strategy, creative solutions and innovative experiences to companies around the world," said Maureen Ryan-Fable, CEO Americas at First Protocol. "We have known Barry and worked with him for a number of years and are thrilled to be incorporating his skills and expertise to help us continue to deliver world-class solutions for our clients."
While based in the US, Mr. Richards will also lead account growth in the UK, overseeing the firm's managed services and expanding the agency's event resourcing capabilities and ability to seamlessly integrate with client teams onsite. These resourcing solutions allow clients to outsource a portion or all of their event functions directly to First Protocol to manage. The agency currently provides these services for three leading global financial institutions. This integrated approach, and the data and benchmarking that underpin it, are unique offerings of First Protocol.
"I am very excited to help drive First Protocol's growth trajectory, and in particular to help expand the existing managed services model to offer a range of services that seamlessly integrate into our clients' event lifecycles and support their changing meetings and event needs," said Mr. Richards. "As someone who is passionate about delivering exceptional event experiences, I also look forward to joining a team of people who share that vision."
Prior to joining First Protocol, Mr. Richards spent nearly 10 years with Grass Roots, a company he took from a start-up to a full service meeting and events agency in the US, which was on the 2014 and 2015 Inc. 5000 lists of fastest-growing privately held companies in America.
Mr. Richards is a finalist in the 2015 EANYC & SmartCEO Deals of Distinction awards, which honors innovative business leaders and deal-makers from the Greater New York City region who have a unique story to tell about a business transaction and/or partnership that made a significant impact on the company's success. He also sits on a number of executive advisory boards for major hotel brands, industry associations and the New York CEO community.
First Protocol, which celebrates its 20-year anniversary this year, specializes in the design and delivery of high-quality, live events for some of the world's most iconic companies, from financial services to technology to automotive. The hire of Mr. Richards further complements First Protocol's full-service offerings in strategy, content development, managed services and creative direction.
About First Protocol
Founded in 1996, First Protocol is an International Events Agency with offices in New York, London, Los Angeles and Singapore. First Protocol provides world-class event delivery, creative development and technical production for a wide range of clients and international brands. First Protocol clients span many industries including financial services, aerospace, technology, medical, automotive, media and the non-profit sector. For more information, please visit: www.firstprotocol.com.
Media Contact:
Jennifer Werdel
Allison+Partners
P: +1 (503) 290-7302
E: jwerdel@allisonpr.com
Share this article