Integrated design and branding group Blue Marlin is hiring a raft of new people across its international network of offices following a dramatic influx of new business, totalling over $3.5m across the globe. Some 15 new faces will appear at the independently owned group in the coming weeks.

The New York operation is staffing up with the appointment of Rob Palermo, currently a senior consultant at Interbrand New York, who will have the same title at Blue Marlin. Paul Demyanovich has just joined from New York agency CBX as a middleweight designer. An associate creative director is close to being signed up, and a senior strategist and an industrial designer are being sought. Ben Cleaver who transferred from Blue Marlin London in 2010, has been promoted to general manager.

The New York agency has picked up significant projects from existing and new clients including Georgia Pacific, one of the world’s biggest paper products manufacturers, and Dole, the world’s largest marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables. New business gains amount to almost $2m.

Blue Marlin Sydney managing director Marshall Ward has extended his role to cover South East Asia following 20 per cent growth in Australia in 2010 and recent wins in pet care and brewing worth $500,000. New hires down under include group account director Lynette Sturtis and senior account director Dinah Thomasset, who joins from The Brand Union in London. The Sydney office is on the hunt for a design director. Meanwhile Darren McMurtie has joined Blue Marlin Bangkok as a design director. Following the launch of an office in Singapore, Blue Marlin has extended its relationship with Unilever Asia, a key client partner.

In the UK, the Bath office has won projects in Russia, India and Eastern Europe worth six-figure sums, in addition to the redesign of Brains Ales it picked up this month. The London office has picked up three new briefs from existing clients and a significant project from a client referred through the international network.

Lara Klaassen joins this week as client realisation manager in London, and Lucy Honey will take up the same position in Bath in two weeks. The London studio is also looking to recruit a design director, a structural designer and a graphic designer. New creative director Simon Pendry joins at the end of the month and a further senior appointment will be announced in February.

Blue Marlin CEO and group managing director Andrew Eyles notes, “We feel reenergised and invigorated and, frankly, we are in a better position now than we have been for some time. 2010 finished very well across the group, and we are delighted to have attracted so much new talent to the business. There’s more to come—2011 is going to be a very busy year.”