KCD Acquires Wall & Broadway

San Diego-based financial services communications agency KCD PR has acquired boutique consultancy Wall & Broadway.

Financial terms of the transaction were not publicly disclosed.

Encinitas, CA-based Wall & Broadway consults a range of start-ups specializing in the tech and fintech sectors. The agency was founded in April by managing director Philippa Ushio.

Philippa Ushio

Prior to launching her own agency, Ushio held several senior positions at consulting company FTI Consulting, which she joined in 2007 as an associate vice president before later serving as director.

Kevin Dinino

Ushio now joins KCD in the role of managing director. In light of the transaction, Wall & Broadway now assumes the KCD PR name, and the agency’s staff will move into KCD’s headquarters.

KCD founder and president Kevin Dinino told O’Dwyer’s that the acquisition effectively widens the agency’s foothold in the tech and fintech sectors.

“KCD PR is experiencing a period of incredible growth and we are now competing on a national scale, winning business from large enterprise clients that are actively seeking out experienced, nimble agencies,” Dinino told O’Dwyer’s. “The acquisition is part of our wider strategy to add extremely talented and experienced professionals to our team to support our clients business goals. In terms of industry, we are now doubled down on technology and fintech.”

KCD in 2015 took in more than $1 million in net fees, according to O’Dwyer’s rankings of PR firms, accounting for year-over-year growth of 58.5 percent. Clients include AIG Advisor Group, Brain Corp., Fidelity Investments, LPL Financial and TwinRock Partners.