As part of the alliance, Concept will establish a dedicated "India Desk" in New York to serve both Indian multinational companies active in the US and US-based companies entering India.

Income rose from £1.7m ($2.8m) to just under £2.4m ($3.9m), with a net gain of 17 new clients over the year, including the National Lottery, Grosvenor and webuyanycar.com.

The agency, headquartered in Liverpool, also took its head count to 38, launched its in-house training academy and opened its Deansgate office in Manchester.

"I don't think we've ever worked as hard in our lives," said managing director Dougal Paver. "We focused heavily on training, development and systems and that's delivered for us," he said.

Paver predicts that 2010 will be "as tough, if not tougher" than 2009 but is forecasting growth of around 10% for the year.