Transaction Communications

We are a global leader in M&A communications. We create comprehensive communications strategies and leverage relationships with the financial media and others to advance our clients’ objectives for a wide range of friendly, hostile and cross-border M&A scenarios, as well as SPAC combinations, IPOs and spinoffs. We prepare our clients to communicate effectively and build support for the company’s position with key stakeholders. Our work begins prior to launch and often extends through and after closing, with supplemental plans and materials developed to support regulatory and integration milestones.

01

#1 PR Firm
for the last 10+ years in the U.S. M&A league tables

THE DEAL’s CORPORATE CONTROL ALERT, 1H 2024 and 2013 – 2023

Shareholder Activism

From established headline-makers or a new entrants simply looking to make a name, we understand activists’ temperaments and tactics. Unlike other firms, we are conflict-free – we only represent companies, not activists. We counsel boards and senior management in “peace time” prior to a public attack as well as after an activist’s investment becomes known. We typically work alongside a broader team of financial, legal and proxy advisors to evaluate vulnerabilities, and develop and execute a plan to address them – whether that means finding a mutually acceptable resolution or taking a contest all the way to a vote.

02

#1 IR / PR Advisor globally and in the U.S.

BLOOMBERG, 1H-2024 and 2019 – 2023

Investor Relations

We partner with senior management and IR professionals on their offensive and defensive IR needs, which often include helping to establish or enhance an IR program, develop and/or clarify a company’s investment rationale, and manage complicated disclosure issues. Clients rely on us to assist with their quarterly communications materials, including presentations, conference call scripts and press releases. We also work with clients to ensure messages resonate in their investor day presentations, annual reports, proxy statements, industry conferences and non-deal roadshows.

03

We have been a top-ranked investor and financial public relations firm since our founding

 

ESG

We offer a wide range of services to help our clients engage constructively with shareholders. We draft or revise proxy statements, ESG / sustainability reports, compensation plans, CSR/climate-risk/scenario and annual/10k reports, shareholder correspondence and engagements. We help clients with Environmental, Social and Governance disclosures, including optimizing content for investors’ algorithms and language-analysis tools. We help clients improve their ESG scores, avoid investment blacklists, and use ESG to attract long-term capital.

04

Approximately 1/3^rd of U.S. AUM incorporate at least one ESG filter. We have an unparalleled track record at improving a company’s ESG ratings and standing with proxy voters.

 

Restructuring & Bankruptcy

We have helped hundreds of companies manage high-stakes, high-intensity financial restructurings and bankruptcy filings with comprehensive communications programs to educate and maintain the support of key stakeholders and minimize business disruption. Our work can begin well before any public action, preparing for contingencies and engaging with the financial media to manage rumors and speculation, and it continues through the completion of any reorganization.

05

#1 Bankruptcy Communications Advisor

THE DEAL, 1H 2024, 2023 and 2019 – 1H 2021

Crisis Communications & Special Situations

While unique situations often require unique solutions, our experience underscores that there are best practices that should be applied in a crisis. In regulatory actions, investigations, ethics violations, accounting issues, cybersecurity issues, product recalls, or other unexpected crises, we work with our clients during all phases of communications planning and response to implement both the “unique” and the “best.” In a crisis, a company is judged not only on the crisis itself, but also by how it prepared, managed and communicated during the event.

06

We help our clients control the dialogue and establish context for their actions going forward

 

Litigation Support

In a high-stakes legal battle, litigants need a strong advocate who can make sure that critical information reaches key audiences quickly and effectively. We work closely with our clients and their legal team to develop a disciplined strategy that supports the overall objectives of the litigation without compromising business goals.

07

We often help our clients distill complex legal issues into simple, compelling concepts

 

Financial Sponsors

We have extensive experience advising financial sponsors on fundraising, deal activity, regulatory and portfolio-level issues as well as reputation management and profile-raising. Leveraging our firm’s position as a leading advisor on M&A and other special situations, we utilize a strategic approach and unparalleled connectivity with key media to achieve meaningful results for our clients.

08

In 2023 we advised more than 40 sponsors with $3.2 trillion in combined AUM on transformative matters, including $170 billion of sponsor-backed transactions and nearly 20 fundraises totaling $73 billion.

 

Corporate Communications & Media Relations

We help our clients express important information accurately, credibly and persuasively to all key internal and external stakeholders. Our work ranges from strategy, message and materials development to training, research – and execution. We work closely with the media, on background and on the record, leveraging relationships across outlets, including print, digital, broadcast, and trades.

09

Our objective is to build, enhance or protect corporate reputation

 

Design + Digital

Using sophisticated graphic design and digital tools to convey information can often have more impact than relying on the written word alone. Our in-house creative team works alongside our client teams to develop strategic and innovative assets that can be leveraged across platforms and social channels. We have extensive experience developing infographics, refreshing investor presentations and proxy statements, creating a new look and feel for corporate materials, and rolling out specialized websites, advertisements and digital newsletters, among numerous other applications.

10

An integrated client and design team ensures that we maximize opportunities to communicate effectively