What Freshwater does

Freshwater is an integrated marketing and communications consultancy headquartered in Cardiff, Wales, with a second UK office in London. Founded in 1998 (the firmographic record cites 1997), the company operates under the holding company Raglan House Holdings Ltd alongside two wholly-owned subsidiaries — Freshwater UK Regions Ltd and The Waterfront Conference Company Ltd — delivering sector-specific conferences. The agency serves UK clients across healthcare (NHS trusts, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Association of Anaesthetists), public sector (Welsh Government, Crown Commercial Service, Devon County Council), trade unions (Unite the Union as a 20+ year sole event supplier, BFAWU, NASUWT), transport (BT, Associated British Ports, Rail Freight Group), professional services and legal (Thompsons Solicitors, Salix Finance), retail (Specsavers) and not-for-profit (RNLI).

The service offering is structured across five platforms: strategy and planning (communications strategy, marketing strategy, crisis management, campaign planning, marketing audits), branding and creative production (brand strategy, design, animation, content, video production), PR and media training, digital (PPC, SEO, social media across LinkedIn, Facebook, X, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram), and engagement services (stakeholder engagement, public consultation, event management). An "AI optimisation in reputation management, PR and marketing" line is listed in the catalogue. A dedicated in-house media training capability is staffed by the CEO alongside an award-winning former journalist.

Commercially, the firm runs a hybrid professional-services model. Project work is billed 50% upfront with the balance billed monthly; retained clients operate on monthly subscriptions with an initial 12-month commitment and a three-month termination notice; large-scale event work is delivered with a 17.65% handling charge on disbursements in line with PRCA guidelines. The most prominent strategic partners are Unite the Union (sole event supplier since 2013), BiP Solutions (Procurex Wales three-year contract through November 2026), and Associated British Ports for stakeholder engagement. No public revenue figures, funding rounds, or M&A activity beyond the 2009 acquisition of Life Communications are disclosed.

Name

Freshwater

Legal name

Freshwater UK Limited

Website

https://freshwater.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Freshwater is a Cardiff- and London-based integrated marketing and communications consultancy serving UK healthcare, public sector, trade union, transport, and professional services clients with strategy, PR, digital marketing, events, and media training delivered via project work and retained contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Project Work: Project-based consulting and communications services billed at 50% upfront with balance billed monthly. Covers strategy, planning, digital marketing, events, branding, PR, and content production
2. Retained Client Services: Monthly retainer contracts for ongoing communications support. Initial 12-month contract period with 3-month termination notice. Contracts for variable resource can be capped at 3 months carry-over
3. Event Management: Large-scale conference and event delivery including venue hire, AV, design, production and logistics. Pricing includes 17.65% handling charge on disbursements per PRCA guidelines
4. Disbursements and Expenses: Reimbursement for client-approved expenses including accommodation, travel, design, print, media monitoring, photography, venue hire and other project costs, subject to 17.65% handling charge

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Freshwater is an integrated communications and marketing consultancy that provides strategy, creative, digital, PR, content, design, video, animation, event management, and media training services. It serves UK organisations across healthcare (NHS), public sector (government, local authorities), trade unions, professional services, transport, and not-for-profit sectors. The firm operates from Cardiff and London, supplemented by a dedicated event management subsidiary (Waterfront Conference Company).

Product overview

Freshwater is an integrated marketing and communications agency offering a comprehensive suite of professional services. The offering is organized as a platform of interconnected service lines rather than a software product. Core services span strategic consulting (communications strategy, marketing strategy, crisis management, campaign planning), creative production (design, animation, video production, content marketing), engagement services (public relations, media training, stakeholder engagement, consultation, events), and digital marketing (SEO, PPC, social media marketing, web development). The agency operates Waterfront Conference Company as a subsidiary focused on industry-specific conference production. Services are delivered across multiple sectors including healthcare, professional services, public sector, education, trade unions, transport, energy, and not-for-profit organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Waterfront Conference Company: Conference and event organization division of Freshwater, organizing sector-specific conferences such as Rail Station Development and Regeneration Conference

Products and services

• Communications Strategy
• Marketing Strategy
• Crisis Management
• Campaign Planning
• Event Management
• Brand Strategy
• Design
• Animation
• Public Relations
• Communications and Media Training
• Content Marketing
• Video Production
• Advertising
• Digital Marketing
• Pay Per Click Advertising (PPC)
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) SEO services improving organic search visibility through technical, on-page, and off-page optimisation.
• Social Media Marketing
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Engagement and Consultation
• Web Development

Quantifiable outcome

• 522% increase in Facebook reach for #FightFatigue campaign compared to previous year
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• BiP SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Event organiser partnership for Procurex Wales, working alongside Welsh Government. Freshwater provides consultancy support for sponsorship agreements, marketing, stakeholder workshops, and event delivery across a three-year contract through November 2026.
• Unite the UnionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing sole event supplier relationship since 2013 for delivery of all major conferences including the biennial National Policy Conference attended by over 1,000 delegates. Partnership encompasses theme development, stage design, AV production, live streaming, and event management.
• The Waterfront Conference CompanycoreOthersSubsidiary company within Raglan House Holdings providing conference and event organisation services. Organises sector-specific conferences including Rail Station Development and UK Ports conferences.
• Thompsons SolicitorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing client relationship for integrated campaigns including #PatientsBeforeProfits on medical liability reform. Thompsons leads legal cases while Freshwater provides campaign strategy, PR, and digital communications.
• Association of AnaesthetistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Royal College of Anaesthetists and Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine for #FightFatigue campaign addressing NHS worker fatigue. Joint campaign development, media relations, and stakeholder engagement.
• BFAWUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade union client partnership for workplace safety campaigns including #McBurned on fast food worker burns prevention. Freshwater provides campaign strategy, creative development, and social media marketing.
• Associated British PortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term political engagement and communications partnership for Port of Newport and South Wales ports. Includes stakeholder engagement strategy development, video production, and Master Plan publication support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MHP Group: UK strategic communications consultancy with public sector, health, and policy specialism acquired by Teneo in 2020. Closely comparable in scale (~150-300 staff), integrated offering, and UK public-affairs positioning.
• Hanover Communications: UK and European healthcare, public affairs, and B2B communications agency. Closely comparable to Freshwater on health sector specialism, public-sector client base, and integrated services model.
• SEC Newgate: European PR, public affairs, and research group formed via the merger of SEC and Newgate Communications. Comparable mid-market integrated comms footprint with similar vertical and policy expertise.
• Instinctif Partners: UK-headquartered integrated communications consultancy with strong public-sector, B2B, and capital-markets practices. Comparable headcount and integrated strategy, content, PR, and public affairs offering.

Broad incumbents

• Teneo: Global strategic advisory and communications firm that absorbed MHP and other UK agencies. Comparable public-affairs and corporate communications work but with much wider geography and financial-advisory scope.
• Edelman: World's largest independent PR firm with UK public-affairs and healthcare practices. Operates broadly across all of Freshwater's service lines but at far greater scale and global reach.
• Weber Shandwick: Global PR and integrated communications network with significant UK healthcare, public affairs, and B2B teams. Competes for the same public-sector and enterprise briefs as Freshwater but at international scale.
• FleishmanHillard: Global PR and integrated marketing agency with strong UK healthcare and public affairs practices. Comparable capability set but much larger headcount and geographic footprint.
• Havas: Global advertising and communications network with PR, health, and public affairs divisions active in the UK. Overlaps with Freshwater in healthcare and public-sector communications as part of a much broader portfolio.

Others

• Waterfront Conference Company: Wholly-owned subsidiary of Freshwater itself, listed here as the in-house events business producing sector-specific conferences for rail, ports, and infrastructure industries. Internal reference for the events IP rather than an external competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzJ5iWl3NdK6I9WQ5Rj5yKA
• Facebookfacebook.com/FreshwaterUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freshwater-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/freshwater_uk
• Xx.com/freshwateruk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Freshwater