Amanda Hills
Amanda Hills

MMGY Global has acquired Hills Balfour, a travel and tourism focused firm with offices in London and Dubai. The newly formed entity will be known as Hills Balfour, an MMGY Global company. HB’s London office will operate as MMGY London and its Dubai office will be referred to MMGY Dubai. The two firms will begin integrating operations this year. Hills Balfour founder and CEO Amanda Hills will serve as president, HB and MMGY London and Dubai. HB managing director Jonathan Sloan will continue to run the London office, and managing director Anthony Dalton will remain in charge of operations in Dubai. Hills Balfour is the fourth acquisition by MMGY Global since private equity firm Peninsula Capital Partners and Fine Equity Partners invested in the company in February 2016. Prior MMGY acquisitions have included DK Shifflet & Associates, Nancy J. Friedman Public Relations, Myriad Marketing and Spring O’Brien.

Venables Bell
Independent creative agency Venables Bell & Partners is forming a partnership with issue-driven communications firm RALLY. VB&P, which was recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2017, leads brand development and advertising efforts for clients including Audi, PlayStation, Chipotle, Reebok and 3M. RALLY leads strategy, campaign development, and advocacy efforts for progressive organizations and causes. Together, VB&P and RALLY will work with a variety of entities, from brands to advocacy organizations, to develop impactful communications campaigns and guide them through political and social opportunities and challenges. The team’s initial projects will launch later this year.
Longview Communiations & Public Affairs
Longview Communications and DFH Public Affairs have merged to form Longview Communications & Public Affairs. The combined firm will employ 24 professionals across offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg. It will offer services in corporate and financial communications, public affairs and special situations (such as M&A), shareholder activism, proxy contests, restructurings, crisis management and litigation support. Founded in 2003, Longview specializes in corporate and financial communications. DFH, which was founded in 2007, also specializes in corporate communications and M&A, in addition to its public affairs and government relations capabilities.