 Liam Leduc Clarke |
APCO Worldwide has opened an office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The new office expands the agency’s presence in the Middle East and North Africa region, where it already has offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Liam Leduc Clarke, a 15-year APCO veteran, will be the office’s first managing director. APCO’s Saudi unit will offer full digital, media, creative and high-level business and management consulting capabilities. The office will work in close partnership with other offices throughout MENA and APCO’s global network. “Saudi Arabia is changing rapidly and, based on the great work of our team to date, we are excited by the opportunities in the market and believe our services will be helpful in the incredible transformation that is taking place as a result of Vision 2030 (Saudia Arabia’s plan to reduce its dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop its public service sector by 2030),” said APCO founder and executive chairman, Margery Kraus.
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Weber Shandwick has opened an owned office in Bogotá, Colombia, to further expand its presence in Latin America. The new office is a partnership with fellow Interpublic advertising and marketing agency McCann. The firm’s network in Latin America now includes owned offices in Colombia, Brazil and Mexico, as well as affiliates in Argentina, Chile and Peru. Paula Restrepo has been named managing director and will lead operations in the Bogotá office. Restrepo joins from influencer marketing technology firm FLUVIP, where she was acting COO. Previously, she was a senior vice president at Edelman. “Colombia is the third fastest growing economy in Latin America and is poised for substantial business opportunity,” said Laura Schoen, chair, Latin America. “Weber Shandwick will meet increasing client investment and interest in Colombia, and our presence in Bogotá anchors our capabilities even deeper in Latin America.”
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Allison+Partners has entered into a partnership with UK-based talent and influencer marketing agency Beyond. The partnership is meant to both enhance Allison+Partners’ consumer capabilities and complement its leadership in influencer marketing. The agency has also added two new senior hires to further strengthen its technology and consumer practice offerings. Harry Ronaldson, who was formerly at Golin, will be a vice president, with responsibility for growing the agency’s B2B technology offering. Katie Rispin, who previously worked with Red Brick Road and Kaper, has joined as a senior account director.
4media group completes its acquisition of Family Features Editorial Syndicate... Illumination PR, which represents lifestyle brands, influencers and celebrities, launches DR Media Group... EAG Advertising and Marketing acquires pay-for-performance firm INK inc. Public Relations. 
LLYC launches Signs of Pride, a campaign that revives the original protest banners of the first Pride marches... The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry forms the Public Relations and Digital Marketing Working Group... Circle of One Marketing, a Miami-based, minority-owned marketing agency, is named official agency of record for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami. 
Vogel Group, a DC-headquartered government affairs and consulting firm, forms a strategic partnership with Montreal-based public affairs firm Boléro Stratégies... Matter Communications launches project-based offerings for B2C companies looking to increase brand awareness and visibility... Tucker/Hall, a Tampa-based PR and public affairs firm, opens a new office in Orlando. 
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Edelman is laying off 330 people (5.3 percent of its workforce) to cope with an anticipated eight percent shortfall in 2024 US revenues, and client demand for one-stop shopping for speciality services.
