Buck acquires leading U.K. strategic employee communications agency Caburn Hope to offer full-service communication capabilities

May 12th 2021
Staff Profile - Elizabeth Spencer Phillips
By Elizabeth Spencer-Phillips
Founding Director and MD

The addition of Caburn Hope to the Buck family creates one of the most experienced and comprehensive employee communications consultancies in the U.K. market

LONDON AND NEW YORK, May 12, 2021Buck, a leading consulting, technology, and administration services firm specialising in pensions and employee benefits, has today announced the acquisition of strategic employee communications firm, Caburn Hope. After a transition period, the organisation will form part of Buck’s existing communications consultancy in the U.K., Concert, a Buck company.

Founded in 1993 and based in Sussex, Caburn Hope focuses on strategic employee and change management communications, ranging from high level consultancy and communications planning to tactical campaigns to improve employee engagement and ROI.

The acquisition of Caburn Hope complements and amplifies Buck’s current capabilities as a tech-enabled, personalised pensions administration and employee benefits communication specialist into those of a full-service, employee communications practice that can have a positive impact on every facet of the employee and member experience, including wellbeing. The acquisition also further aligns the U.K.’s employee communications capabilities with those of Buck’s award-winning employee communications business in North America.

Concert, a Buck company, will be jointly led by Peter Walsh, Founder of Concert Consulting (the business acquired by Buck in November 2020), and Elizabeth Spencer-Phillips, a Founding Director and Lead Strategist at Caburn Hope.

“We’re passionate about the value people bring to any business, and it was critical that we identify an organisation that’s equally committed to taking a people-centric approach to how they operate,” says Spencer-Phillips. “We’ve found that partner in Buck.”

“Caburn Hope has developed a reputation for excellence with both their U.K. and multinational clients,” explained David Piltz, Managing Director – U.K., Buck. “I’m delighted to introduce their strategic approach to employee communications to our clients as we help them continue to deliver on the social contract they’ve established with their people.”  

“The acquisition of Caburn Hope in the U.K. is another notable milestone in Buck’s expansion over the past two years”, said Jack Freker, Chief Executive Officer at Buck. “By creating a full-service strategic communications business focused exclusively on employee and member communication programmes in a highly competitive market, we’ll continue to provide the best possible service for our clients.”

Buck remains committed to making further acquisitions in the U.K. in the areas of pensions, investments, employee benefits, and engagement, supporting its mission to deliver an even deeper set of solutions for its clients.

Staff Profile - Elizabeth Spencer Phillips
By Elizabeth Spencer-Phillips
Founding Director and MD