Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
The Glover Park Group (GPG), the D.C.-based public affairs firm founded by former Clinton-Gore aides in 2001, is merging with two other global advisory firms.
- Finsbury is based in the UK and Hering Schuppener is based in Germany. The combined firm, launching in 2021, will be called Finsbury Glover Hering (FGH).
Why it matters: The deal formalizes a years-long partnership between the three groups, which all focus on different aspects of corporate branding, reputation and advocacy communications and public relations.
Details: All three firms used to be fully owned by WPP, the world's largest ad holding group by revenue. The new company is buying back roughly half of its stake from the global ad giant as a merged firm.
- FGH will own 49.99% of the company alongside WPP, which will retain a majority stake. WPP CEO Mark Read will join the board of the new company.
- Alexander Geiser, Managing Partner at Hering Schuppener, will serve as CEO of the new firm. His leadership team will be a combination of leading executives from the three firms.
- Finsbury founder Roland Rudd and GPG founder Carter Eskew will co-chair the new firm. Winnie Lerner of Finsbury and Michael Feldman of GPG will serve as co-CEOs of the group's North America practice.
By the numbers: The combined company will include nearly 700 employees across 18 offices worldwide, including New York, D.C., London and Brussels.
The big picture: There's more pressure on brands to address global crisis and public policy now than ever before.
- The new firm will leverage combined expertise in issues management, corporate and crisis communications and deals to help companies navigate those expectations.
- The Glover Park Group has for years led corporate communications for a wide array of clients, including the NFL, Apple and other major brands.