A new £1m digital media hub has been opened in the Leicestershire countryside.
Political stalwart, Ken Clarke joined hundreds of guests and employees to launch the headquarters of family run firm Champions (海角视频) plc.
Mr Clarke, who recently stood down as the Conservative MP for Rushcliffe after nearly 50 years in Parliament, said: “I’m here as I’m delighted to come and congratulate the family and to celebrate this latest move by Champions to this centre. It’s a mark as we all know of Champions’ continued success.”
The new media centre houses more than 40 members of staff working in digital services such as web development, SEO and pay-per-click advertising, alongside a PR and social media team, a brand audit department and influencer division.
Based in Costock, the brand agency is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the region - it leapt into 12th place in the East Midlands Top 200 fastest-growing businesses.
It now has 125 employees across its East Midlands and Mayfair offices covering 14 areas of expertise, which also includes marketing and creative services, publishing, advertising and managing events.
Champions was founded in 2003 by John, Donna and Matthew Hayes. John’s son Matthew is the managing director and his four siblings, Louisa, Sophia, Roxanna and Jack are also on the company’s board.
Matthew said: “Our new media hub marks the next chapter in Champions’ story and [the launch event] was a great way to mark the occasion.
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"Having the right digital presence is vital to the success of any business which is why we’ve invested heavily in this area and we’re thrilled with the growth we’ve seen.
“Over the next few years this is an area we are keen to build on even further and this new building is the perfect way to do this.”
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The star studded event began with a Champagne reception where guests, including William Roache MBE, best known as his portrayal of Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, were wowed with a 250 glass Moët & Chandon champagne fountain. Olympic badminton legend Gail Emms MBE hosted proceedings and England cricketing hero Matthew Hoggard MBE, gave a speech.
Performances from X Factor stars, Sam Bailey and Andy Abraham, as well as pop, soul and funk bands, Urban Intro, and pianist Adrian Dixon also added to proceedings.
Amad Tababa, digital director, said: "Since I joined Champions in 2014, I’ve seen the digital team grow significantly," he said. "We have more clients than ever before and are undertaking digital work in a variety of new areas.
"By moving into a new purpose-built suite, it allows us to further develop our digital offering, supporting all of our clients’ needs. This year has seen us make big strides, working with a number of high-profile clients and we’re looking forward to seeing what other exciting developments happen in our new home."