NorthStar Insights, the senior-led, AI-powered PR and communications advisory firm, has appointed Stefano Hesse as Senior Advisor. Based in London, Hesse joins to strengthen the firm's reputation management practice, bringing more than three decades of in-house communications experience across some of the world's most consequential technology companies and the high-stakes transactions that defined them.The appointment comes as the demands on corporate communications during high-stakes moments continue to intensify. For companies navigating IPOs, acquisitions, and periods of acute regulatory and reputational scrutiny, the narrative a business builds around a transaction have become as consequential as the transaction itself. Fewer advisers can draw on direct, in-house experience of steering that narrative through moments of this scale. Hesse's career sits precisely at that intersection.Over the course of his career, Hesse built and executed global strategic communications programmes for large, complex organisations, including through the Google and Meta IPOs and a series of major acquisitions pursued by both. His experience spans the operational reality of leading communications from inside the business, where reputation is tested quickly and publicly, and where the quality of counsel in the room determines how a company is understood by investors, regulators, and the wider market.The appointment reflects where NorthStar's own growth is heading. As the firm deepens its reputation management practice for clients navigating IPOs, M&A, and complex cross-border situations, embedding senior practitioners with direct, in-house experience of those moments is central to how it delivers for boards and leadership teams.Arth Malani, Founder and CEO of NorthStar Insights, said: "The moments that carry the most risk for a business that is an IPO, an acquisition, a reputational challenge are the moments where senior judgment matters most. Stefano has sat inside some of the most scrutinised companies in the world and steered their communications through exactly these situations. That is a rare perspective, and it is precisely the counsel our clients need in the room. His joining strengthens our reputation management practice and reflects the seniority we are building into every engagement." Stefano Hesse, Senior Advisor at NorthStar Insights, added: "I'm delighted to be joining forces with NorthStar Insights as Senior Advisor. Over three decades in communications, including at Google, Facebook and eBay, I've built and executed global strategic communications plans for large, complex organisations, including through high-stakes IPOs and M&A, where the story a company tells is as critical as the transaction itself. That's exactly the lens NorthStar brings to its clients, and I'm looking forward to helping organisations build the resilient, credible narratives they need to navigate high-stakes markets and moments with confidence."The appointment marks the latest step in NorthStar's growth, strengthening the firm's reputation management and financial communications capabilities for clients across global markets. Stefano continues to lead Stefano Hesse advisory while working alongside us to strengthen our capabilities.

Strategic communications consultancy NorthStar Insights has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Mohammed AlMaskati as Partner, based in Riyadh, and Seth Gagahina as Director in Dubai, as the firm expands its footprint across Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC.The appointments support NorthStar's growth strategy in the region, enhancing its capabilities in strategic communications, corporate reputation and integrated creative communications as demand rises for senior advisory services across the Gulf.AlMaskati joins the consultancy following a stint as Managing Director at Hanover Communications in Riyadh, where he led the agency's expansion in Saudi Arabia. Before that, he held senior leadership roles at BCW, including Vice President, Regional Operations, building extensive experience in corporate affairs, stakeholder engagement and reputation management across the Kingdom and the GCC.As Partner, he will lead NorthStar's strategic advisory offering in Saudi Arabia, helping organisations navigate increasingly complex communications and reputation challenges.Meanwhile, Seth Gagahina joins as Director, bringing expertise in creative strategy and visual storytelling. She will continue to lead Carrot Brand while working with NorthStar to expand its integrated communications offering across the GCC.Her portfolio includes campaigns for regional and international brands such as Groupon, Checkout.com, Dusit Thani, New Balance and AirAsia, spanning both the MENA and Asia-Pacific markets.Announcing the appointments, Arth Malani, Founder and CEO of NorthStar Insights, said Saudi Arabia's transformation is reshaping expectations around strategic communications."Saudi Arabia's ambitions are now global and the bar for how the Kingdom's organisations communicate has moved sharply higher. That demands senior counsel with the relationships, judgement and creative range to match," he said."Mohammed is one of the most respected communications leaders in the GCC, and his appointment as Partner reflects where we are investing. Combined with Seth's creative leadership, we are strengthening our Dubai office to deliver integrated communications at the standard of an in-house team."AlMaskati said the pace of change in Saudi Arabia requires communications advisers with deep local understanding."Saudi Arabia's story is being written at a pace and scale few markets have seen, and getting that story right requires counsel that understands both the institutions shaping this moment and the audiences judging it. NorthStar's model of combining senior strategic advice with strong creative capability is exactly what this market needs."Gagahina added that strategic communications today increasingly require a blend of stakeholder engagement and compelling creative execution."In today's fast-changing business environment, navigating risk requires clarity in communication. I'm excited to work with the NorthStar team to help clients combine strategic counsel with impactful visual storytelling that strengthens reputation and market confidence."The appointments come as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 agenda continues to drive demand for specialist communications advisory, with agencies increasingly investing in senior talent capable of delivering integrated services across corporate affairs, branding, creative strategy and reputation management.