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APCO Worldwide launches Margy, a form of adaptive intelligence that applies the collective knowledge and history of the APCO team to the agency’s client strategy and work. The new platform, which is named after and inspired by APCO Worldwide founder Margery Kraus, also learns from the firm’s top experts to provide better insights over time. Developed by APCO’s AI Comms Lab under the leadership of AI strategist Dr. Abdullah Sahyoun, Margy can automate content generation, help teams work more efficiently and has a reputation management tool that monitors a client’s online presence and manages potential crises. APCO has also created a new AI advisory offering for clients who are facing business challenges, navigating their own AI transformations, or are anxious to fast-forward their growth and gain market share. “We see AI as an opportunity to harness the collective wisdom of our global employees, our top advisors and 40 years of history, synthesize it in a streamlined way for every unique situation our clients face, and then make it available to our team,” said APCO president and managing director of operations Evan Kraus.
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Hill & Knowlton (formerly Hill + Knowlton Strategies), as part of its rebranding back to its original name, is introducing a new visual identity, website and social presence, along with several new services. Within its H&K Advisory unit, the agency is now offering FutureSight, a group of geopolitical, policy and communication advisors focused on helping executives anticipate the impact of international political and regulatory environments on business and stakeholder strategy, and Global Horizons, which is centered on the economies of the Global South spanning Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Gulf. H&K has also introduced a network of Innovation & Creative hubs around the world that are meant to bring together creative, content, media and digital specialists to work alongside sector specialists, public and corporate affairs advisors and public relations experts. “Business leaders need this powerful creative engine to help address today’s emerging risk,” said Hill & Knowlton global chairman & CEO AnnaMaria DeSalva.
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| Alisa Valudes Whyte |
Merritt Group CEO and senior partner Alisa Valudes Whyte is recognized by Washington Women in Public Relations as its 34th Woman of the Year. Whyte has been with Merritt Group since 1997 and helped to build and shape the agency, leading campaigns for clients in technology, healthcare and government. She currently serves on the board of directors of several organizations, including the Northern Virginia Technology Council, Neighborhood Health, and the Democratic Business Council of Northern Virginia. Established by Kate Perrin, WWPR’s Woman of the Year Awards program recognizes women who have raised the bar in the communications field and for the future of the profession. This year’s finalists for the award also included Stanton Communications president Lori Russo and News Generation founder and EVP, client engagement Susan Matthews Apgood.
Precision Strategies, an integrated strategy and marketing agency with offices in Washington and New York, acquires Firehouse Strategies, a DC-based public affairs firm... AVENIR GLOBAL acquires London-based Thinks Insight & Strategy... Good Company, which bills itself as a “cultural engineering firm,” is launched by DJ Hardy, a veteran of Johannesburg-based communications consultancy arxna and M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment and Casey Stickles, who has worked at 5WPR, Rubenstein and MWW.
PSC (Princeton Strategic Communications) acquires Nonprofit Partners... CG Life launches 24/364, a cultural brand platform intended to drive awareness, connection and action aimed at keeping rare disease at the forefront of the health and social conversation... Interluxe Group, which focuses on brand experiences and in-person activations; Quinn, a strategic communications agency; and media and digital agency North & Warren are uniting under the Interluxe Group banner.
KITH, which provides corporate reputation and crisis preparation services, is now owned by CEO Stephanie Craig, who has been with the firm since 2021... The Marketing Cloud, a part of Stagwell, introduces several expansions to Agent Cloud, the platform it launched in October 2025 to simplify access to its AI tools and marketing assistants.... Notified launches its AI Press Release Optimizer.
V2 Communications launches its AI Visibility Solution and Earned Media at Scale, two service offerings designed to help companies increase visibility and credibility in generative search... The Public Relations Global Network brings on Greenough Communications as its Boston member agency... DBC is relaunching The DBC Industry Calendar as a free site to help communicators more easily discover relevant events and awards in the cluttered event landscape driven by the growth of webinars and online events. 
PAN releases new original research showing that a significant share of B2B citations surfaced by ChatGPT are inaccurate, misattributed or entirely fabricated, introducing a new credibility risk for brands... REQ, which has offices in DC and San Diego, opens in Phoenix... Notified introduces Market Intelligence, an addition to its all-in-one IR Hub, which gives IR teams a more streamlined way to prepare for earnings calls.
