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| David Urban |
BGR Group has hired David Urban, executive VP of North American corporate affairs for China’s ByteDance, as managing director.
He joined the parent of TikTok in 2020 to help it navigate tricky public policy issues and communications challenges. He also advised ByteDance on ESG and corporate social responsibility issues.
Earlier, Urban was president of the American Continental Group lobbying shop, handling clients such as Zoom and 7-Eleven.
Urban made his mark in Pennsylvania Republican politics, counseling Senators Arlen Specter, Rick Santorum and Pat Toomey.
He also served as senior campaign advisor to Donald Trump during his presidential run.
BGR founding partner Haley Barbour said Urban’s “insights into communications, policy, law and politics make him uniquely suited to the BGR team.”
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.
