Liam Clarke
Senior Director and Head of Global Business Development
Liam Clarke is senior director & head of global business development at APCO Worldwide. Mr. Clarke leads a team that helps design and build solutions for APCO’s clients that draw on the firm’s global expertise, experience and market access.
He brings to his work 25 years of experience working with corporations, government entities, trade groups, foundations and NGOs around the world. Mr. Clarke specializes in strategic communications, issue management and crisis, stakeholder engagement, public affairs, ESG, training and capacity building, and strategic consulting. He helps organizations evaluate and transform operations to bolster reputation and achieve organizational and societal goals. He also advises clients on emerging issues and trains senior government officials and business leaders for media and public speaking engagements.
Mr. Clarke has served in a number of management roles with APCO over his two decade career. He has been head of market development in MENA & India, head of the Riyadh-based APCO Institute, and led the firm’s Middle East climate practice. Mr. Clarke founded and served as the first managing director of APCO’s operations in Saudi Arabia from 2017 to 2022. He built APCO’s operations from the ground up, developing government and private sector client relationships and recruiting a best-in-class local and international team in the Kingdom.
From 2008 to 2017, Mr. Clarke served as head of worldwide business management for APCO. He oversaw global business operations including client compensation and profitability, budget development, resource planning and procurement. He also provided client counsel and served on the global management committee. Since joining APCO in 2003 he has developed many highly recognized programs for APCO’s Fortune 500 clients in areas including strategic philanthropy, employee engagement and DE&I. Prior to APCO, Mr. Clarke worked at Weber Shandwick and previously served as program officer and communication manager for the Blandin Foundation, a U.S.-based private foundation with $400 million in assets.
Mr. Clarke is currently the chair of the AmCham Abu Dhabi climate committee. He is the past president of the College Key of Bates College and is a former member of the Bates College Alumni Council. He has served on the boards of NGOs and as an adviser to several political campaigns. He has received APCO’s annual CEO Award and was shortlisted for “Educator of the Year” in PR News’ PR People Awards. Mr. Clarke holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Bates College.