PR giant Edelman launches B2B unit housing Microsoft and Shell

Edelman says the new unit will focus on “driving reputation” of its B2B clients, uniting its existing B2B practices in North America, EMEA, and APAC under one roof.

Called Edelman Business Marketing, the unit will offer various services to its clients including integrated marketing campaigns, audience research, thought leadership strategy, content marketing, account-based marketing and earned communications.

The unit will be headed up Joe Kingsbury, who has been with Edelman since 2015 and has been appointed as the unit’s global chair.

Kingsbury will oversee a network of nearly 100 B2B specialists across the globe.

He will head the unit up with David Whiting, the executive vice president of Edelman, who has been appointed global head of operations and will be responsible for trying to drive up revenues.

The B2B leadership team will also include regional leaders across the US, EMEA and Canada, with an executive search underway for a leader to oversee the Asia-Pacific region.

Edelman’s B2B operation generates more than $40m in annual revenue and according to reports has delivered double-digit growth over the last three years.

According to PR Week, Edelman’s overall revenues upped by 12.8 per cent in 2022 to nearly $1.1bn.

Its other B2B clients include Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and DP World.

“Edelman Business Marketing is redefining how we drive value for our B2B clients’ businesses, from reaching high-value stakeholders to taking on some of the world’s most important issues,” said Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman. 

"Clients are hungry for strategies that earn the trust of high-value decision-makers while driving reputation and business demand,” said Kingsbury. 

“We blend the art and science of creative communications and digital marketing to generate ROI through personalized content, targeted thought leadership strategies and marketing technology. This global launch accelerates our ability to deliver on this value proposition for B2B clients.”