APCO Worldwide Amplifies Post-Election Advocacy, Campaign Capabilities, Expands Roster of Experts

Washington – December 22, 2020: In response to the growing complexity of today’s global political landscape, particularly following the historic U.S. elections, APCO Worldwide acquired two leading advisory and advocacy firms, Evan Kraus, global president and managing director of APCO’s Washington, D.C., office, announced today.

APCO’s recent acquisition of London-based international business strategy consultancy TWC Associates further strengthens the company’s extensive international market understanding and nuanced geopolitical insight.

APCO also acquired LMG, a leading consulting firm with deep policy experience in numerous areas such as telecom, content industries, intellectual property and aerospace—a combination which will considerably deepen the APCO bench. LMG brings the political campaign model to advocacy campaigns, and specializes in harmonizing the silos of strategy, policy, communications, research and organizing under one tent. LMG has been home to the chief counsels and staff directors of the House Judiciary and House Oversight Committees and to a wide range of veterans from Capitol Hill and presidential campaigns. The acquisition of LMG also brings President Clinton’s former chief speechwriter, David Kusnet, to the APCO team.

“For nearly 20 years, LMG has managed high-stakes advocacy campaigns and has a proven track record of success across a wide range of areas,” Kraus said. “With today’s complex environment and a new administration, this combination brings a whole new set of policy and communications expertise to our global team.” Tim McCann, senior vice president of LMG, added, “one and one generally add up to two, but here we think one and one add up to three. The marriage of LMG’s policy and campaign experience with APCO’s international scale and capacity is a huge win-win for everyone.”

To help clients build relationships and strong connections with critical stakeholders and the public, APCO creates and executes bespoke, fully-integrated communications strategies to inform audiences, challenge perceptions, mobilize allies and spark change with measurable results for clients and society. APCO continues to expand its market-leading campaigns and advocacy team and recently added former Google vice president of public policy for the Americas Susan Molinari; veteran political strategist, former senior government official and transportation expert Brandon Neal; technology, cybersecurity and government affairs expert Preston Grisham; and leading public affairs, government relations and political strategy expert Courtney Crowder.

APCO’s advocacy team—led by former RNC official Dan Meyers—and its International Advisory Council also comprise other renowned industry leaders and experts, including:

• former member of Congress and U.S. Ambassador to India Tim Roemer;
• former Ambassador of Liechtenstein to the United States Claudia Fritsche;
• former member of Congress Cliff Stearns;
• former senior advisor to the White House National Economic Council and National Security Council under President Barack Obama Gadi Dechter;
• former high-ranking State Department official Frank Lowenstein;
• former assistant for cabinet affairs to President Ronald Reagan and chief of staff to Vice President George H.W. Bush Craig L. Fuller;
• former assistant to President George W. Bush and chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush Anita B. McBride;
• former HHS chief of staff Peter Urbanowicz;
• former HHS deputy assistant secretary for public affairs Bill Pierce;
• former HHS director for intergovernmental and external affairs Jack Kalavritinos;
• former White House advisor HHS chief of staff Lance Leggitt;
• Capitol Hill veteran and seasoned Democratic communicator Jim Manley;
• former chief of staff and communications director for two senior members of U.S. Congress Dan Scandling;
• former Conservative Party (UK) director of external relations and chief of staff to the chairman of the Conservative Party Zoe Thorogood;
• former legislative director for a Los Angeles city councilmember and public affairs expert Matthew Gallagher;
• APCO Senior Advisor Julian Epstein; and
• APCO Insight Managing Director Bill Dalbec.

For more than 35 years, APCO has been a trusted advisor and partner to private, public and nonprofit clients as they try to identify and manage new and emerging issues, challenges and opportunities around the world. Established by Margery Kraus as a single-person operation in 1984, APCO has grown to a global advisory and advocacy communications consultancy with offices in more than 30 markets and experience working in more than 80 markets globally, providing in-depth advice, perceptive guidance and creative approaches for its clients.