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Juul Labs, which has more than 70 percent of the US e-cigarette market, has hired Capitol Hill veteran Chaka Burgess' Empire Consulting Group to handle legislative and Food and Drug Administration regulatory efforts regarding e-cigarettes and vaping products.
The San Francisco-based company, which has been the main target over the public backlash against teenage vaping, announced plans to suspend selling flavored e-cigarette pods in retail outlets and end social media promotions, just ahead of the FDA announcement on Nov. 15 to impose sales restrictions of flavored e-cigarettes.
"Our aim is to make sure no kid can access a fruity flavor product in a convenience store," said FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb in announcing the new rules to curb underage use of tobacco products.
Burgess, who has more than 20 years of experience in PA, coalition building, lobbying and ally development, is co-managing partner of Empire.
Previously, he was VP-government relations at the American Gaming Assn., director of global government affairs at Amgen, federal lobbyist at Eli Lilly, and consultant at APCO Worldwide.
Burgess is a board member of the Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee, an organization that will be invigorated with the January arrival of a Democratic-controlled Congress.
Ballard Partners has signed to a represent the US unit of Rheinmetall, Germany’s biggest defense contractor, on Army procurement issues.
BGR Group signs on to provide lobbying and PR services for Terzo, an AI financial intelligence platform. Douglas Lute, chair of BGR’s international and defense practices, will join Terzo’s board of directors.
Avoq has landed Palantir Technologies, the controversial surveillance company founded by right-wing billionaire Peter Thiel, as a client.
Anne Kierig, who was senior manager of public policy at Amazon, has joined the American Advertising Federation as VP-government affairs. She takes over for Clark Rector, who is retiring after a 37-year run at AAF.
TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, which was established in compliance with the executive order signed by President Trump, has hired Valcour LLC, which has close ties with his administration.
