NEW YORK & LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RLM Finsbury, a global leader in strategic communications and a trusted adviser to many of the world’s most successful companies, today announced that effective April 15, 2014, Michael Gross, Partner and President of RLM Finsbury, will succeed Walter Montgomery as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Montgomery, 68, co-founder of Robinson Lerer & Montgomery (RLM) and an architect of its merger with Finsbury in 2011, will remain active as Partner, counseling corporate clients on a range of issues. The CEO transition was announced internally last year.
“Michael is one of the most respected, insightful and talented strategists in the communications business and will be a tremendous leader of our company as we continue to expand in key markets around the world,” said Roland Rudd, Chairman of RLM Finsbury. “RLM Finsbury has always stood out for the high-quality strategic counsel and disciplined execution we deliver for our clients, and Michael embodies this tradition. Our commitment to the highest standards of excellence in meeting client goals also stands as a testament to the values and culture that Walter has been able to cultivate over the last three decades, and I’m delighted that he will remain active as Partner.”
“RLM Finsbury continues to distinguish itself by helping companies manage their most critical communications issues and opportunities, and it is a privilege for me to take on a greater leadership role at the company,” said Mr. Gross. “Walter has been an extraordinary mentor and partner over the years, and I look forward to building on the tradition of excellence and client service he so skillfully established. My focus as CEO will be to work closely with Roland and our other partners in key markets around the world to strengthen our global capabilities in a unified way so that we can deliver even greater value to our clients.”
“With Roland and Michael at the helm,” said Mr. Montgomery, who served as CEO for 14 years and Partner for 27 years, “I couldn’t be more optimistic about the continuation of RLM Finsbury’s heritage and the prospects for its future. I’m confident that with their smart, deft guidance, RLM Finsbury will continue its growth as a global leader in strategic communications.”
During the past year, RLM Finsbury ranked first in Europe and fourth overall according to Mergermarket in providing communications support for M&A transactions. The company provided legal and regulatory communications support in several high-profile matters, including two U.S. Supreme Court cases, a billion-dollar class action settlement and the resolution of major U.K. tax controversies. RLM Finsbury also has significantly expanded its roster of cross-border client engagements involving ongoing corporate reputation and issues management, investor relations and public affairs support.
Michael Gross is a 25-year veteran of RLM Finsbury with extensive experience managing corporate, financial and crisis communications programs for a broad range of clients including Toyota, BlackRock, Clear Channel, Moody’s and many others. He has developed and implemented communications strategies for a number of complex financial transactions, as well as crises including environmental problems, anti-trust and patent litigation, government investigations, regulatory issues, labor disputes and product recalls.
Prior to joining RLM in 1989, Mr. Gross was a Managing Director of Adams & Rinehart, a strategic communications firm; worked for several years at Mobil Corporation in public relations and finance; and was an advertising account executive with Doyle Dane Bernbach. He has a B.A. in philosophy from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, an M.A. in creative writing from City College of New York, and an M.B.A. in finance from New York University.
About RLM Finsbury:
RLM Finsbury is a global leader in strategic communications and a trusted adviser to many of the world’s most successful companies. The company has managed some of the most complex, high-profile communications challenges and crises of the last three decades, including some of the largest international M&A transactions, IPOs and other capital raisings, proxy fights, corporate restructurings, and public affairs policy campaigns, as well as major litigation and government investigations. With offices in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia, RLM Finsbury provides expert counsel and support to clients around the world on interactions with the media, financial markets, employees, governments and other vital stakeholders. For more information, please visit www.RLMFinsbury.com.
