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Key people at Hill & Knowlton.
Hill & Knowlton is a global public relations and strategic communications consultancy based in New York, New York, specializing in reputation management, risk management, and stakeholder engagement. The firm provides integrated communications solutions, combining sector expertise with strategy across multiple industries and markets for corporate and institutional clients. Operating over 80 offices in more than 40 countries, Hill & Knowlton serves clients across diverse sectors, including historically finance and steel. The consultancy is owned by WPP Group, a major marketing and communications holding company. Recognizable figures associated with the firm include former Chairman & CEO Jack Martin, and Global Presidents Lars Erik Grønntun and Richard Millar. Hill & Knowlton was founded in 1927 by John W. Hill in Cleveland, Ohio, with Donald Knowlton joining as co-founder in 1933.
Key people at Hill & Knowlton.
Hill & Knowlton (H&K) is a global public relations and strategic communications firm founded in 1927, operating 70 offices across more than 30 countries. It provides advisory, public relations, and creative solutions to help brands, businesses, and leaders build reputation, manage risk, and drive growth amid disruption.[2][3][5] As part of WPP, H&K focuses on purpose-driven communication, integrating sector expertise, global reach, local insights, and data-driven creativity to address complex challenges like disinformation and geopolitical shifts.[3][5]
The firm has evolved through rebrands, acquisitions like JeffreyGroup in Latin America and 3K in Europe, and new capabilities such as H&K Advisory for corporate and public affairs consulting, plus intelligence and technology services led by a global CTO.[2][5] It reported strong post-pandemic growth, with 2022 revenue up 11% to $455 million, despite some Q3 2023 softness in WPP's PR division.[2][5]
Hill & Knowlton was established in 1927 by John W. Hill in the United States, positioning it as one of the oldest PR firms globally.[1][2][3] In a pivotal early moment, H&K was hired by major tobacco companies in 1953 amid emerging evidence linking smoking to lung cancer; under John Hill's leadership, it crafted "The Frank Statement to the Public" ad campaign and helped form the Tobacco Industry Research Committee (later the Tobacco Institute) to foster scientific doubt and restore public confidence.[1][4]
The firm expanded internationally, rebranded to Hill+Knowlton Strategies in 2011 after merging with Public Strategies, then reverted to its original name ahead of its 2023 centennial with a modern visual identity and expanded services.[2][5] Recent leadership under CEO AnnaMaria DeSalva has emphasized renewal through acquisitions and diverse executive hires.[2]
Hill & Knowlton rides the wave of enterprise transformation and digital disruption, providing PR and advisory for tech-driven changes in a disinformation-heavy era.[2][3] Its timing aligns with rising needs for reputation management amid geopolitical tensions, AI ethics, and Global South economic shifts, where capabilities like Global Horizons and tech intelligence help clients navigate trade flows and regulatory scrutiny.[5]
H&K influences the ecosystem by supporting emerging tech brands (e.g., via Ideal in Brazil) and healthcare/tech intersections, while its tobacco-era playbook of "doubt and uncertainty" highlights PR's dual role in controversy management—now repurposed for modern sustainability and value creation.[1][4][2] As WPP's arm, it bolsters PR's 7% U.S. growth amid client caution, shaping how tech firms communicate breakthroughs.[5]
H&K is poised for centennial momentum in 2027, leveraging its rebrand, advisory expansions, and tech integrations to capture demand for AI-powered comms and geopolitical strategy.[2][5] Trends like disinformation combat, Global South trade, and resilient storytelling will propel it, potentially evolving influence toward deeper tech ecosystem partnerships and sustainability-focused PR. This builds on its foundational role in crisis communication, now channeled into transformative growth for clients worldwide.[3]
