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BCW and Hill & Knowlton, which will merge as of July 1 to form Burson, bring on financial communications and capital market advisory firm Buchanan Communications as part of the new unit, effective immediately. Buchanan Communications will be a brand within Burson together with Hill & Knowlton, GCI Health and AxiCom. Founded in 1984 and acquired by WPP in 1997, Buchanan’s services include strategic counsel on relations with all capital market stakeholders, on all types of transactions (including M&A), as well as crisis and change management and all other corporate situations. Buchanan also provides a comprehensive sustainability offering and such creative services as brand, website design, financial marketing collateral design, and digital content. “Bringing the exceptional team at Buchanan to Burson gives us immediate strength in financial communications in key international markets and the firepower to expand this expertise at scale,” said BCW global CEO Corey duBrowa, who will hold the same role with Burson upon completion of the merger.
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Stagwell enters into an agreement to acquire PROS Agency, a Brazil-based brand and marketing consultancy specializing in digital public relations, creative planning and production, influencer marketing, and brand development. The São Paulo-headquartered agency will serve the greater Latin America region as part of Allison, which is part of Stagwell. PROS founder and CEO Daniela Graicar, co-CEO Fernanda Tchernobilsky and Alan Strozenberg will continue to lead the agency. “PROS’ creative strategy and digital innovation expertise helps brands create engaging and purposeful conversations with consumers, consistently pushing the boundaries of PR – making them a true leader in the region,” said Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn. With clients including Amazon, Mondelez and Kimberly Clark, the agency closed 2023 with 50 percent growth and expects to grow another 20 percent this year.
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The LAGRANT Foundation, which provides scholarships, career & professional development workshops, mentorships, and internships/entry-level positions to African American/Black, Alaska Native/Native American, Asian American/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino undergraduate and graduate students, launched an alumni advisory council comprised of 15 previous scholarship recipients. The council will be chaired by Procter & Gamble and co-chaired by Omnicom Public Relations Group. The mission of the council is to support and enhance the Foundation in its pursuit of increased racial diversity in the fields of advertising, marketing, and public relations. “Building community and networking is essential in this industry, so it was important for us to support this initiative to better connect with TLF’s diverse alumni network,” said TLF Board Member Soon Mee Kim, EVP, chief diversity, equity & inclusion officer, OPRG.
TEAM LEWIS starts up its AI Practice... Thunderly launches a year-long storytelling campaign focused on how franchising can provide a pathway to business ownership... JIN, a European communications consulting group, introduces "AI Campaigning", a corporate offering designed to model and anticipate stakeholder behavior.
Karsh Hagan and Madden Media join forces as KHM... Endeavor Communications opens an office in the Harbor Point neighborhood of Stamford, CT... Big Red Oak, a Toronto-based communications firm, and D.C. area-based PA firm New Hill Consulting have launched a joint service exclusively for companies in the nuclear energy sector... The Pollack Group has partnered with Brandi AI, a platform for enterprise brand intelligence, AI visibility and Generative Engine Optimization.
Real Chemistry acquires Spurwing Communications, which advises pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations—as well as clients across a broader range of industries—throughout APAC... 5W AI Communications (5WPR) is moving its headquarters from New York to Florida (Miami, Tampa)... Valence Communications, which will focus on biopharmaceutical companies, launches under Matt Middleman, who was founder and CEO at LifeSci Communications.
Moburst, which specializes in digital marketing and AI-powered solutions, acquires Amazon marketing agency Hyperzon... The Public Relations Global Network launches its Health Practice Group, which brings together more than 20 independent agencies across four continents to support health care, life sciences and pharma organizations... ICR’s newly released Q2 2026 SPAC Market Update & Outlook shows a healthy environment for IPOs... Red Banyan, a senior-level crisis management, litigation PR, and reputation management firm, makes its first appearance in the Chambers and Partners listings.
Deerfield Group, a marketing, communications and media firm focused on the healthcare and life sciences sectors, receives a strategic majority investment from Martis Capital, a private equity firm... Bospar and market research firm Propeller Insights release the results of a study that shows public understanding of AI and the role it plays in brand discoverability is lagging behind the progress of the technology itself... Highwire launches AcroIntelligence, a proprietary Large Media Model designed to help companies identify emerging narratives, understand competitive shifts, and make faster, more informed decisions.
