Hill+Knowlton procures JeffreyGroup in Latin America

Hill+Knowlton Strategies has made it first procurement in 10 years, purchasing Latin American specialist The Jeffrey Group and emphatically expanding its capabilities in the region. The expansion of JeffreyGroup doubles H+K’s impression in Latin America.

In a related move, H+K announced that the firm’s current Brazilian operation, Ideal is relaunching as a global brand brand, now focused primarily on disruptive and emergent technology companies.

Jeffrey Group was founded 29 years ago by Burson-Marsteller and Rowland Company alum Jeffrey Sharlach, a Miami-based firm that would assist US and worldwide clients with situating themselves and their items in the in the Latin American market. It has owned offices in Mexico, Brazil (Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo) and Argentina, however is dynamic in each market all through Latin America, with slightly more than 300 people across the region and revenues last year of $13.8 million, as per PRovoke Media's Global 250 Ranking.

The firm’s longstanding clients include Bayer, American Airlines, Reckitt, Amazon, Airbus, BMW, Disney, GE, Marriott, Mastercard, PepsiCo, and Salesforce. It also works with the likes of Disney Cruise Line, Citibank, Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices, etc.

It was newly named a finalist for our Latin American Consultancy of the Year award and got more nominations for our Latin American SABRE Awards than some other agency..

“Through this transaction, Hill+Knowlton is taking two major steps forward—becoming the preeminent global player in Latin America through the combination of highly complementary, similarly sized businesses, and creating a second growth engine for our largest industrial practice,” said AnnaMaria DeSalva, global chairman and CEO. “Latin America is one of the most dynamic communication markets today, offering a growing scope of talent and innovation.”

JeffreyGroup will keep on working under its own brand in Latin America as a part of Hill+Knowlton. Brian Burlingame (pictured), who has been JeffreyGroup’s CEO since 2015, will lead H+K’s Latin American operation, incorporating the two legacy businesses. Burlingame will report to H+K’s CEO of the Americas, Richard Millar, and join H+K’s global leadership council. Sharlach willkeep on serving as the firm’s chairman.

Brazil-based Grupo Ideal originally was acquired by H+K in 2015. Ricardo Cesar, who has led H+K’s Latin American operations since 2018, has been promoted to global CEO for Ideal, and charged with taking the Ideal brand and business model to a global market. He will report to DeSalva and remains a member of its global leadership council.

Cesar will work closely with Sara Gourlay, H+K’s global chair, technology+telecoms, who will keep on administering the association's start to finish the technology sector growth strategy.