Matt Conner leaves MRM McCann for top Paragon role

Paragon Customer Communications is further strengthening its agency credentials with the appointment of MRM McCann managing director Matt Conner to the role of chief growth officer.

The UK communications division of the group, headed by Jeremy Walters, offers three key service lines: customer engagement and marketing, business process and transaction, and digital customer experience. It also includes Parkhouse, the data-driven creative agency, which recently rebranded from Paragon London.

But it is not all about marketing; the unit recently picked up the fulfilment contract to work with Royal Mail to deliver Covid-19 home test kits, seven days a week for the Department of Health & Social Care.

Conner, who has been in the business nearly 25 years, started his career at WWAV Rapp Collins (now Rapp) on an undergraduate placement in 1996, eventually becoming a senior account manager. He then joined Rapier in April 2003, but switched to Stephens Francis Whitson in April 2006, to head up the agency’s More Th>n account, including a period on secondment.

He moved to OgilvyOne in 2012, following SFW’s rebrand to VCCP Me which ultimately led to the departures of the three founders Neil Francis, Ben Stephens and Chris Whitson.

Conner switched to MRM Meteorite in 2014, which was formed from the merger of McCann Relationship Marketing and Meteorite. He was promoted to managing director in 2017; the agency rebranded MRM McCann a year later.

Paragon has operations across the UK, France, Germany, Benelux and Eastern Europe and split into three divisions, Paragon Customer Communications, Paragon ID and Paragon Graphics.

During 2020 the group achieved strong revenue growth across all sectors and acquired eight businesses through six acquisitions. It recently reported proforma sales will now reach €1.3bn (£1.1bn), a 57% increase compared to June 2019.