BerlinRosen makes majority investment in Glen Echo Group
Glen Echo will remain independent under the leadership of CEO and founder Maura Corbett
by Ewan Larkin for PR Week, July 14, 2022
NEW YORK: BerlinRosen Holdings has made a majority investment in strategic communications and public affairs firm Glen Echo Group.
Jonathan Rosen, principal and cofounder at BerlinRosen, cited Glen Echo’s expertise in technology policy communications as a critical factor in the investment.
“When we invest in growth, we’re looking for companies that are singular leaders in their space and sectors that are going to define the future,” he said. “No one has a deeper understanding [of the tech policy environment] than Glen Echo.”
BerlinRosen’s financial injection comes as Congress debates enacting legislation to rein in Big Tech companies and better help protect user data privacy and security.
Specific terms of the investment were not disclosed, but Glen Echo will remain independent under the leadership of CEO and founder Maura Corbett.
“When [Glen Echo] started out, the internet was all unicorns and rainbows. We all know that is not the case anymore,” Corbett said. “It’s a very consequential time if you look at privacy, security, competition and free speech.”
The investment will help Glen Echo bolster its headcount and expand its services in areas such as digital, research, legal and marketing. Glen Echo has 32 employees and one fellow.
Glen Echo clients include Google, Palo Alto Networks, Mozilla, the Hewlett Cyber Initiative, Twilio and the University of California’s National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement.
For BerlinRosen, the investment means doubling its partner footprint in Washington, DC, and expanding to Chicago through Glen Echo’s emerging tech hub. The agency also has offices in New York and Los Angeles.
Following a “significant” investment from private equity firm O2 Investment Partners, BerlinRosen created investment holdings company BerlinRosen Holdings, which aims to develop a roster of leading independent agencies, according to Rosen.
BerlinRosen recently acquired diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm Onward.