Combined offering will serve clients facing political and policy challenges around the globe
WASHINGTON, DC, April 17, 2024: The Messina Group (TMG) and Global Counsel (GC), two of the world’s leading strategic advisory and policy firms, have announced a global partnership to align their businesses through a minority investment by TMG in GC.
TMG and GC will collaborate to align operations across offices in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia and to deploy 150 employees globally across several key markets. The global partnership will allow both firms to better serve clients by responding to the growing demand from organizations seeking counsel in increasingly challenging political environments around the world.
Founded in 2010, GC guides clients on policy issues in financial services, technology, healthcare, energy and manufacturing that are all being disrupted by an ever-more complex policy landscape. TMG, founded in 2013, brings best-in-class experience from political campaigning into the corporate and advocacy world.
In a statement about the decision to invest in GC, Jim Messina, CEO of TMG, said: “This is an important step in continuing to build a first-class global policy and political advisory business. Working alongside the GC team will allow us to offer our existing clients an even wider range of services around the world.”
On the announcement of the new global partnership, Benjamin Wegg-Prosser, CEO of GC, said: “Joining forces with TMG will allow our business to reach the next stage. We have a truly global offering and a genuinely international team. The combination of both firms, with their unique founding stories and great track records, is an amazing opportunity for all involved.”
To strengthen the partnership’s international ambitions, Peter Mandelson, the founding Chairman of GC, will become President of GC and chair GC’s International Advisory Board. This new platform will bring together some of the most significant and interesting former policymakers, business leaders and opinion formers to guide clients on future policy trends. To solidify the partnership, TMG’s Jim Messina, CEO and Tara Corrigan, COO, will join the GC board alongside GC’s Benjamin Wegg-Prosser, CEO, Stephen Adams, Senior Director, and Rebecca Park, Managing Director. Archie Norman, who currently serves as Vice Chairman, will take on the role of Chairman of GC, drawing on his experience of building businesses globally to ensure this collaboration reaches its full potential.
The global partnership will also draw on the capabilities and services of the wider portfolio of TMG companies and collaborators, including strategic communications arm, Greenbrier, media buying firm, Amplify, and legal services company, Signal.
TMG was advised on this transaction by J Goodwin & Co for corporate finance services and by Osborne Clark and Presidio Legal for legal support. GC was advised by Jonathan Paisner of Wordsmith Law LLP.
About The Messina Group
The Messina Group (TMG) is a full-service consulting firm led by Jim Messina, whose revolutionary tactics fusing technology and politics led President Obama’s 2012 campaign to victory. With proven experience working across six continents, TMG helps corporations, political parties, governments, and advocacy clients achieve their goals with strategies that are data-driven and measurable. For more information, visit themessinagroup.com.
About Global Counsel
Global Counsel is a strategic advisory firm that works with clients to navigate the critical area between business, politics and policymaking. We bring together a team with diverse experience across the public and private sectors. Clients rely on GC to help them anticipate regulatory and political change, to provide them with due diligence support and to build compelling, evidence-based campaigns to engage in policy debates. GC has teams based in Brussels, Doha, London, Singapore, and Washington DC, backed by an international network. For more information, visit global-counsel.com.
Inquiries can be directed to press@themessinagroup.com.