Four agencies, including New York-based The Marino Organization, have banded together in a trans-Atlantic PR alliance dubbed Crossborders PR.

Italian firm Say What?, along with Porterfield PR and Storm Communications, both of London, joined with Marino in a network that is expected to expand in the coming months. TMO president Frank Marino said the union establishes a framework to help clients meet needs "around the world."

crossborder prL-R: Alberto Scarpetta, Say What?; John F. Marino, The Marino Organization; Frank C. Marino, The Marino Organization, and Ian Purvis, Porterfield PR.

The firms announced the network in a ceremony at One World Trade Center.

TMO, which also has a Boston outpost, has worked with Colliers Int'l, Cushman & Wakefield and Walmart, among other clients.

Alberto Scarpetta is founder and CEO of 20-year-old Say What?, which has operations in Milan and Rome and focuses on media relations, event marketing and strategic planning. Ian Purvis leads commercial real estate specialist Porterfield. And Derek Lowe heads Storm, focused on consumer, corporate and social media work, with a roster including Cargill, EU Olives and Sara Lee.

Said Lowe: "The world is getting bigger and more complex in terms of PR challenges and techniques, but smaller in terms of international borders and speed of communications. It makes absolute sense to be formalizing well tried working relationships to meet these challenges."