The Leeds-based firm, which was established in 2009, says it will increase its headcount from nine to 15 full-time staff by June on the back of new business wins and organic client growth.

Adrian Johnson, founder and managing director of Umpf, said: “The last year has been a tale of two halves. In April, with the pandemic setting in and three of our nine permanent staff on furlough, the future looked uncertain at best.

“By the end of last year, despite some clients still on pause, business picked up and since January we have been stretched, fuelled by organic growth.

“We’ve undoubtedly benefitted from being able to offer a range of services – consumer PR, social, influencer, paid, plus our creative Studio – which has enabled us to offer more to existing clients.

“We will open a new office in London initially with two full-time staff, recruited from the south, supported by myself and the team in Leeds.

“In Cardiff, we’re probably looking at freelance support or a part-time role.

“I know a lot of agencies have suffered and some haven’t survived this last year, so it’s not the time to be celebrating, but I’m as excited and optimistic about this next chapter as I was when Umpf opened 11 years ago.”