Hunt&Palmer has opened an office in Italy. The company says that the move follows a highly successful 2005, which saw expanding mainland European activities create an increase in turnover of almost 100 per cent.

Said Jamie Martin, the company's director of corporate development: "2006 has got off to an excellent start and this European expansion comes on top of our winning a major new contract, plus our plans for another new office in Hong Kong."

Director of Hunt&Palmer France, Nicolas Maureau, will manage the office, with day-to-day operations being handled by Pierre-Antoine Napoleoni. The firm has offices in the UK, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Jordan and Australia.