LEWIS PR has announced its expansion into Poland, with the opening of an office in Warsaw.

The latest office in the 17-strong European network will be headed by former journalist and PR expert, Eliza Kruczkowska. The Warsaw office is the third LEWIS operation in Eastern Europe, where LEWIS launched its first presence one year ago.

Eliza’s previous experience includes communications work for a leading Polish MP (with Civil Platform), as well as London’s Evening Standard. She opens the office with two retainer-based campaigns, including security client, Riverbed. She reports into Rafael Rahn, Vice President Central and Eastern Europe.

The latest addition to the global LEWIS network is further endorsement of the expansion strategy announced earlier in 2007, to open 21 new offices by the end of 2008. In line with the plan, LEWIS has opened 13 offices over the course of the last 18 months. In the coming weeks the agency will announce a number of additional offices, particularly in the EMEA and APAC regions.

Including the Warsaw office, LEWIS PR now has 34 wholly-owned offices worldwide. The agency is annualising revenues in excess of £17m (€22m).

“With over thirty percent revenue growth this year, Europe has seen fantastic growth,” added Andres Wittermann, Senior Vice President, EMEA at LEWIS and Head of the LEWIS Partner Group. “Opening new offices has helped us service our clients exactly where they need us. It will also help us find great local talent, which would otherwise be difficult to attract. The Polish office is key to our European strategy and we will continue to invest in similar expansion over the next period.”