Reynolds American and Lorillard, the No. 2 and 3 tobacco companies, confirmed in separate news releases today that they are in merger talks.
Both companies stressed that no deal is assured. Their respective releases contained nearly identical statements that "Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, [the company] does not intend to comment further on these matters."
Reynolds and Lorillard produced combined revenues of $13B last year.
Altria, the former Philip Morris spun out of Kraft 2007, is the largest tobacco company with brands like Virginia Slims and Marlboro.
Lorillard IR director Bob Bannon is point of contact for the Greensboro, N.C.-based producer of Kent cigarettes and blu e-cigarettes, among others. Attorney Ronald Milstein, an executive VP, heads legal and external affairs at Lorillard.
Maura Payne, VP of communications and David Howard, senior director of comms., speak for Reynolds, purveyor of Camel and Kool cigarettes, and Kodiak smokeless tobacco.
Neither Lorillard nor Reynolds have yet been reached about whether they are working with outside PR firms.
The UK's Imperial Tobacco Group, meanwhile, confirmed today in a "response to recent speculation" that is in discussions with Reynolds and Lorillard about acquiring certain assets and brands, the likely result if Lorillard and Reynolds combined and looked to sell brands in a nod to regulators.
Business leaders will face challenges in the upcoming year, some of which will come as a complete surprise, or beyond anyone's imagination.
Teneo has hired Philipp Grontzki, who is a 20-year veteran of corporate communications and financial journalism, as a managing director in its strategy and communications group.
Rowan Benecke, who co-founded Zeno Group and helmed Burson-Marsteller's tech practice, has joined McKinsey & Co as director of communications for North America.
BCW has named Golin's Matt Coldagelli EVP and leader of its corporate affairs practice in Chicago.
Abby Bailey, who headed corporate communications for Fedex in its Middle East, India and Africa region, has joined Teneo as managing director in Dubai.
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