Independent PR giant Ruder Finn has launched a global reputation and risk management practice.
That newly minted unit will provide crisis, risk and public strategy counsel, leadership and support across the agency’s global teams. It will focus on four core capabilities: intelligence (understanding how corporations weather crisis situations), predictive analytics (using data to identify potential crises as early as possible), preparedness (advising clients on risk management and crisis avoidance) and response (supplying teams that can work in concert with the agency in the advent of a crisis situation).The new division will be operated out of Ruder Finn’s New York, Hong Kong and London outposts.
 Charles Lankester |
Leading the new unit will be Charles Lankester, who’s been promoted to the role of executive vice president, global reputation and risk management. Lankester joined Ruder Finn in 2014 as SVP of reputation management, Asia-Pacific. He was previously global chair of Edelman’s crisis and risk management practice and a managing director of the PR giant’s Hong Kong, Beijing and Seoul offices. Prior to that he was CEO, Asia-Pacific at Weber Shandwick.
Lankester will now establish a network and develop resources to deliver reputation and risk management services to Ruder Finn’s clients across the globe. He’ll be based in Hong Kong.
Executive VP Christine Dusek and connected communications director Robin Grainger have also been enlisted to serve as senior advisors to the reputation and risk management practice. They'll lead the agency’s teams in the U.S. and Europe, respectively.
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