Chicago-based independent communications agency Motion Agency has acquired Cincinnati-based integrated marketing and PR firm Vehr Communications, strengthening its presence in the US Midwest.The acquisition will take effect on October 1. Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.Following the deal, Motion will have nearly 90 employees across three US offices in Cincinnati, Chicago and Nashville.Vehr founder and CEO Nick Vehr will join Motion as Executive Vice President. In his new role, he will focus on business development and driving growth for the combined agency.Expanding in CincinnatiThe acquisition builds on Motion's existing presence in Cincinnati. The agency entered the market in 2023, when it acquired Rick Miller Communications.Motion is now also looking to appoint its first Creative Director based in Cincinnati, indicating plans to further develop its local capabilities.Founded in 2006, Vehr Communications provides integrated marketing and public relations services to businesses and nonprofit organisations. The agency has also been part of the IPREX communications network since 2018.Motion Agency was established in the same year and provides integrated communications services across sectors including consumer, healthcare, nonprofit, manufacturing and B2B.The agency is also a certified woman-owned business.The acquisition gives Motion an expanded platform in Cincinnati while adding Vehr's client relationships, communications expertise and local market presence to its wider US operation.With the integration of the two businesses, Motion is positioned to broaden its capabilities and scale its independent agency model across the Midwest and other key US markets.

Adfactors PR has acquired a majority stake in SenateSHJ, an independent communication consultancy in Australia.The transaction brings together two independent firms with complementary strengths, beliefs, a shared commitment to outstanding work and a common ambition to help their clients navigate reputation, stakeholder issues and change in an increasingly complex environment.SenateSHJ will retain its identity, client teams under the leadership of Co-founder and Chair Angela Scaffidi AM and CEO Darren Behar. The will continue to operate from its offices in Sydney and Melbourne. Chief Executive Officer of Adfactors PR, Nijay N. Nair, who also leads all M&A and global initiatives, will join the SenateSHJ board. Madan Bahal, Co-founder & Managing Director, Adfactors PR, said: “SenateSHJ is a formidable business with an outstanding reputation, exceptional leadership and proven expertise in solving complex communication challenges. There is a strong alignment in the way our two organisations think about the world, clients, people and the role we can play in shaping the future. India and Australia are emerging as a strategic business corridor, and we trust the new partnership will help clients in both markets to create new opportunities in the wider Asia Pacific region. We hope to explore more opportunities in the region to create a strong Asia Pacific presence.”Rajesh Chaturvedi, Co-founder and Chairman, Adfactors PR, said: “We have had the privilege of serving India Inc. for the last 29 years through many cycles in the global and domestic business environment. I am happy that with this new partnership our relationship capital will expand to a significant market like Australia.”Angela Scaffidi AM, Co-founder and Chair, SenateSHJ, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the business SenateSHJ has become over the past 24 years – our people, the work we do and our relationships with clients. We have built a relationship of deep trust with Adfactors PR over the past decade. We feel a deep connection to the way they think and feel about the world, their people and the work they do with clients. There is strong alignment and great respect. The problems clients bring us increasingly cross borders. Being part of a group with real scale across India, Asia Pacific and beyond means we can help them with more of those problems – without changing what has made this firm what it is.”For Adfactors PR, the investment represents a significant expansion of its presence and capabilities in the Asia Pacific region. For SenateSHJ, it provides access to scale and an international network while creating new opportunities to grow its own expertise, intellectual property and impact.

Burson, the global communications agency purpose-built to create value for its clients through reputation, has acquired Limbik Inc., the cognitive-AI company behind Decipher, Burson's predictive intelligence platform that forecasts how communications will resonate with audiences operating in more than 60 markets globally. The acquisition reflects Burson's continued investment in AI capabilities that help clients navigate reputation, communications and stakeholder trust in an increasingly complex information environment.Limbik and Burson co-developed Decipher’s proprietary IP over the past two years, giving Burson a first-mover position in AI-native audience intelligence within a broader product suite that also includes Sonar, Reputation Capital and The Fount. The acquisition brings Limbik's proprietary cognitive AI capabilities, engineering team and AI research team fully in-house, allowing Burson to accelerate product integration and development across its entire innovation suite. This enables the ability to capture the full value of the Decipher platform across the WPP network via WPP Open."Decipher has become foundational to how we help clients build, protect and prove the value of their reputation in real time," said Corey duBrowa, CEO of Burson. "Bringing Limbik's team and technology on board at Burson lets us build solutions faster for our clients and own our future technology roadmap. This work isn’t a separate service line item anymore. It's foundational to every piece of client work we do, and it's how we help clients lead, not just adapt, in the intelligence era. This move ensures faster answers, sharper judgment and a predictive, ‘see around corners’ edge we can put directly in our clients' hands, no matter where in the world we're working or what problem we're helping them solve."Decipher forecasts how communications will resonate with audiences, predicting the virality and believability of messaging to determine impact before it reaches the market. The technology serves as the predictive engine behind Burson's AI-enabled ecosystem, powering the agency's work across GEO, Reputation Capital, Culture Up and influencer strategy.Limbik co-founders Zach Schwitzky and Josh Levin will join Burson as Global Head of Innovation, AI Platforms and Products and Global Head of Innovation, Clients & Growth, respectively reporting to Global Chief Innovation Officer, Chad Latz. The broader Limbik team will join Burson’s Innovation team to build and expand AI advisory and product capability across the entire company."Every firm in the industry is guessing how audiences will react. We built the cognitive framework that knows," said Zach Schwitzky, co-founder and CEO of Limbik. "With Decipher, Burson didn’t just add a tool. It activated a model for how real audiences around the world respond to information. At Limbik, we set out to build the AI infrastructure that the world's most influential agency runs on and the intelligence behind how it shapes and protects reputation at scale. Burson understood that before anyone else, and this is what setting the standard looks like.”“With this acquisition, Burson continues building a standing innovation arm within our walls, designed to continuously generate, test and integrate new AI products across every practice, every geography and the entire communications and creative workflow," said duBrowa. "This is how we set the agenda for the industry - not by adapting to how AI changes communications but pioneering and proving what that change looks like.”

In a first-of-its-kind industry structure in India, The PRactice and ON PURPOSE today announced that they are coming together under The PRactice Group. While the two firms will continue to work as independent, the new structure will help unlock the strengths and growth potential of both firms by bringing their leadership and capabilities closer together. Girish Balachandran will become Group CEO of The PRactice Group. Nandita Lakshmanan will transition from CEO of The PRactice to Founding Partner of The PRactice Group. Zach James and Rishi Seth will continue as Managing Partners of The PRactice Group. The new structure will take effect on 1 September 2026.The PRactice Group is being built as a future-forward integrated communications group, bringing together specialist capabilities, independent brands and strong leadership. The common Group structure will allow the two firms to work together when relevant, giving clients access to a broader range of expertise without diluting what makes either firm distinctive. Nandita Lakshmanan will transition from her day-to-day role as CEO of The PRactice to Founding Partner. In her role as Founding Partner, Nandita will continue to consult select clients, while focusing more on training and development, and mentoring senior talent.Girish Balachandran, Founder, ON PURPOSE, takes over as Group CEO of both The PRactice and ON PURPOSE Girish has had a stellar run in creating ON PURPOSE over the last decade. In his expanded role, Girish will lead strategy and growth for both companies and oversee client servicing.As part of strengthening the leadership at The PRactice, the firm announced a slew of senior appointments. Senior leadership members announced today are:·       Sabah Kazi, Vice President (Based in Mumbai)·       Bala Krishnan, Vice President (Based in Bengaluru)·       Sudipta Das, Group Account Director, (Based in Delhi)Nandita Lakshmanan, Founding Partner, The PRactice Group, said “This is not an incremental change. It reflects an ambitious growth mindset that Zach James and Rishi Seth have stood for. It also underscores our conviction that the right structure creates space for the right talent to lead both firms to success in these dynamic times. Girish brings a genuinely refreshing approach to building the modern-day public relations consultancy, and I am excited to see what The PRactice Group builds next.”Girish Balachandran, the new Group CEO, commented “This is a pivotal moment for our industry. The coming together of The PRactice and ON PURPOSE represents the future of modern reputation and purpose-led communications that unlock business value. In my expanded role as Group CEO, I am excited to work alongside Nandita, Zach and Rishi to realize the synergies between our complementary strengths in corporate reputation and social change communications and build a model that is resilient, impactful, and truly future-ready.”“The value of a Group is not in how many firms sit under its name, but in what those firms can achieve together for clients. We believe that is what will define the next generation of independent communications groups. By combining the complementary strengths of The PRactice and ON PURPOSE with stronger leadership across levels, we are building a more relevant, resilient and future-ready communications business.” Said, Zach James, Managing Partner, The PRactice Group.“Really excited with the alignment at The PRactice and ON PURPOSE. Indian Founders are coming of age in leading the communications industry, and I am really happy to be a part of this journey. The last two years have been a great learning experience for me to work with Nandita, one of the finest leaders in the industry. Am happy that we will continue to benefit from her experience. At the same time, I am excited to work with Girish in helping us grow faster and expand our portfolio of services.” Said, Rishi Seth, Managing Partner, The PRactice Group.

Financial communications agency Vested has acquired Washington, DC-based public affairs and special situations consultancy Watermark, strengthening its capabilities in regulatory communications, crisis management and government affairs.As part of the deal, Watermark founder Zack Condry will join Vested as head of public affairs and special situations. He will lead a newly established practice focused on these areas. Watermark’s entire team will also move to Vested.The acquisition gives Vested additional expertise in advising financial services companies on complex regulatory, political and reputational matters. Its expanded offering will cover communications involving key US regulatory bodies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).Watermark’s work spans public and government affairs, regulatory advisory, crisis and special situations, initial public offerings (IPOs), corporate transactions and investor relations.Condry brings more than two decades of experience in Washington’s communications and public affairs landscape. According to Vested, he has advised organisations representing nearly 10% of the current Fortune 100 and 5% of the Fortune 500.Watermark’s existing client portfolio includes multinational companies with a combined market capitalisation of approximately $3.1 trillion.The acquisition marks an expansion of Vested’s strategic communications offering, particularly for financial services organisations navigating regulatory scrutiny, corporate transactions and high-stakes reputational challenges.

Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. has acquired The Advocacy Partners, a leading Florida government relations firm, in a deal valued at up to $75 million.The acquisition, completed Aug. 1, 2026, establishes PPHC in Florida, the fourth-largest US state economy, and adds a bipartisan practice with $9.5M in net revenue and 48% profit margins in 2025.Initial consideration was $20.4 million, comprising $18.36M in cash and $2.04M in shares. Future earnouts of up to $54.6M are contingent on profit growth through 2030.The Advocacy Partners, co-founded by Slater Bayliss and Stephen Shiver, will retain its brand and team. The deal builds on PPHC’s state-level strategy following prior moves in California and Texas, and expands its integration with MultiState’s coast-to-coast lobbying network.Stewart Hall, CEO of PPHC, commented: “Led by two founders who built a high-margin business serving a blue-chip client base in one of America’s most important policy markets, we are very excited to welcome The Advocacy Partners to PPHC. What excites us most is the people, the relationships, and the opportunities it creates. Slater, Stephen, and their team have spent more than two decades building one of the most trusted, senior and respected practices in Florida, and a firm whose clients stay because the counsel is consistently exceptional. For our clients, this Acquisition unlocks integrated, senior-level advocacy in a state that increasingly drives national policy debates. Combined with our other U.S. State Government Relations assets nationally, this gives clients a coast-to-coast state government affairs offering that no other can match.”Slater Bayliss, Co-Founder, The Advocacy Partners, commented: “For more than two decades, we have built The Advocacy Partners around the conviction that great government relations work begins and ends with people. The team you put in front of clients and the trusted relationships those professionals carry into the rooms that matter. PPHC shares that conviction. Joining the Group allows us to keep doing what we do best for our clients while adding the breadth of a federal team, a national sector practice and an international network that materially expands what we can deliver. We are excited about the opportunities this creates for our colleagues, for our clients and for the next generation of leaders we are building at the Firm.”Stephen Shiver, Co-Founder, The Advocacy Partners, added: “Over the years, we have had conversations with a number of organizations, but the people at PPHC made this opportunity stand out. We share a core belief that relationships matter, culture matters, and reputation is earned over decades, not transactions. We are joining an organization that appreciates the foundation that has made TAP successful and wants to build on it."

Omnicom has reached an agreement to divest its controlling stake in Brazilian corporate communications agency CDN Comunicação to a management-led investor group headed by Chief Executive Officer Fábio Santos, in partnership with Brazilian advertising agency NOVA.The deal covers Omnicom's 73.82% shareholding in the São Paulo-headquartered agency. Financial terms were not disclosed, and the transaction is subject to approval by Brazil's competition authority, CADE.Founded in 1987, CDN Comunicação employs around 150 professionals and specialises in corporate communications, strategic communications, public affairs, crisis management and reputation advisory. Following the completion of the transaction, Santos will remain at the helm of the agency, ensuring continuity in its leadership and operations.The acquisition will be executed through a newly established holding company representing the investor group, comprising Santos and NOVA. Once completed, the transaction will return majority ownership of CDN to Brazilian investors while establishing a strategic partnership between the communications consultancy and the advertising agency.The divestment comes as Omnicom continues to reshape its global communications business following the completion of its acquisition of Interpublic. In recent months, the advertising and marketing services group has announced a series of structural changes across its public relations portfolio, including the combination of Ketchum and Golin under a unified leadership structure and the integration of Porter Novelli into FleishmanHillard, as it streamlines operations and strengthens its integrated communications offering.

PRAP Japan, one of Japan's leading public relations agencies, has consolidated its Southeast Asian operations by merging WILD Advertising & Marketing with affiliated companies PRAP Asia and PRAP POINTS Singapore. Following the integration, the unified business has been rebranded as PRAP & (PRAP AND Pte. Ltd.), with operations officially commencing on 1 July 2026.The newly formed company will be headquartered in Singapore and led by Managing Director Hiroaki Yamamoto. The merger is designed to accelerate the PRAP Group's growth across Southeast Asia while improving operational efficiency through the integration of resources and business functions.The new PRAP & identity reflects the company's vision of connecting businesses, markets and capabilities. According to the company, the "&" symbol represents collaboration, integration and expansion, highlighting its ambition to broaden its services beyond traditional public relations into a full spectrum of integrated marketing solutions. It also underscores the company's commitment to supporting clients' cross-border growth through long-term strategic partnerships.As part of the integration, overlapping corporate functions, including audit, legal and administration, will be streamlined to enhance efficiency and reduce operational costs. At the same time, the company will combine the specialist expertise of the three businesses across public relations, communications, creative strategy, social and digital marketing, and multilingual, multi-market execution.The strengthened organisation aims to provide clients with seamless campaign delivery across Southeast Asia, offering end-to-end marketing support from strategic planning through execution while delivering more integrated, value-added solutions.PRAP & has also unveiled a new visual identity centred around the concept of connection and collaboration. The company said the logo symbolises the intersection of ideas, people and partnerships, reflecting its belief that meaningful relationships drive creativity and business success.Looking ahead, PRAP & plans to leverage the combined strengths of its legacy businesses to expand its advertising, experiential marketing and public relations capabilities across Singapore and the wider Southeast Asian market. The company also reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with clients and stakeholders to address business and societal challenges while creating long-term value.