South African communications consultancy F/NE joins international network

South African healthcare communications consultancy F/NE has joined the international network of GLOBALHealthPR as a member.

With more than 600 professionals across more than 40 countries, GLOBALHealthPR is one of the world’s larger consultancies specialised in healthcare communications.  The firm’s consultants, researchers and medical advisors serve over 200 organisations globally, based in Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions.

Commenting on why GLOBALHealthPR admitted GLOBALHealthPR to its network, Jonathan Wilson, President of the group, said “F/NE has a great reputation thanks to the firm’s unparalleled understanding of the healthcare communications needs in South Africa and their delivery of innovative, multi-disciplinary solutions to address the unique challenges clients face every day.” 

Founded at the turn of the century, by current CEO Mandi Fine, F/NE is a niche consultancy based in Johannesburg. The firm works with large multinational healthcare clients in the country, helping them build reputations and execute their strategic communication plans. After working in New York, Mandi returned to South Africa in 1999 to launch her own consultancy under the ‘Fine Healthcare’ brand. Since then, she has been responsible for some of the country’s most successful healthcare brand launches including Viagra, Celebrex, Protos and Life Healthcare, in the process earning her recognition from numerous local (Loerie) and international (Globals and Rx Club, New York) awards for creativity and innovation. In October last year, Fine transitioned Fine Healthcare into F/NE.

“We are thrilled to add our name to GLOBALHealthPR's roster of best-in-market healthcare communications agencies as they continue to redefine the industry's approach to building a collaborative global network focused on client needs,” Fine said. Clients F/NE serves are primarily based in South Africa, while the consultancy further boasts a track record in Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

For F/NE, the joining of forces allows the firm to benefit from access to top health communications consultancies internationally, while for GLOBALHealthPR, the partnership grants it a presence in South Africa, Africa’s most important hub for strategic communications. 

Currently fewer than 50% of Africans have access to modern healthcare facilities. “The need for and investment in healthcare services in Africa remain at an all-time high,” remarked Tim Goddard, an Executive Vice President at GLOBALHealthPR. “And so healthcare communications plays a critical role in the country, helping to increase health literacy and access to care in underserved communities and highlighting incredible innovation taking place in the academic and commercial sectors. Successful communications programmess require local knowledge and an ability to work across disciplines to reach a broad range of stakeholders, that is why we are partnering with F/NE.” 

Last year GLOBALHealthPR expanded its network with the addition of member firms in Mexico (CB Comunicacion), Japan (LBS), France (MHC Communication) and Italy (Noesis Comunicazione).