The Manchester Society of Chartered Accountants (MSCA) has appointed Alpha Public Relations to raise its profile among local members and promote a range of initiatives designed to strengthen ties with Greater Manchester’s business, professional, academic, public sector and charity communities.

MSCA was founded in 1870 and went on to become one of the five founding societies of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Today it operates as ICAEW Manchester, the district society for the institute’s members in Greater Manchester, representing more than 6,000 finance professionals.

Alpha Public Relations, which is based in Bury, Greater Manchester, specialises in clients in the financial and professional services sectors. It has been appointed with a mandate to promote MSCA’s value and activities to its members and the wider community, primarily through engagement with the regional media and the accountancy trade press.

Stuart Anderson, director of Alpha Public Relations, said, “The Manchester Society of Chartered Accountants has been part of the fabric of the city’s business community for more than 150 years. It is, though, a forward-looking organisation, and is focused on the ways the accountancy profession needs to evolve to meet the changing needs of business and society as a whole.

“It has an exciting programme of events, initiatives and projects planned for the coming months, and I look forward to Alpha Public Relations playing its part in making sure everyone involved in Greater Manchester’s business and professional scene understands what the society stands for and what it can do for them. MSCA represents more than 6,000 professionals, both in practice and working in industry, and deserves a voice commensurate with that.”

MSCA is led by its president, Rod Sellers OBE, and chair, Michael Colin, both of whom took up their positions in May 2022. During his tenure Mr Sellers plans to focus on developing connections with the wider business community in and around the city, while Mr Colin will concentrate on initiatives designed to foster engagement with members, as well as reaching out to the charity sector.

Mr Sellers said, “When Michael and I took up our respective roles last spring a top priority for us was to reach out to the wider community and explain not only what MSCA is, and does, but to promote the role accountants play at the heart of businesses, the public sector and charitable organisations. Working effectively with the media is essential to getting these messages across.

“We engaged Alpha Public Relations to help us connect with the media because it specialises in the professional and financial services sectors and is run by a former journalist who knows the Greater Manchester and North West business scenes well. He also understands the wider professional landscape in which our members operate, and the way it is continuing to evolve.

“We now have a clear PR strategy and plan, providing clarity about what we want to achieve and how we intend to do so. I look forward to working together to put this plan into action over the months ahead.”