By Jalaja Ramanunni
APCO Worldwide has acquired Dubai-based NGC International Advisory, a multinational agency based in Dubai, that specialises in public policy, government affairs and regulatory affairs in the MENA region.
The acquisition is part of its strategy to expand its public affairs and advisory capabilities in around the world.
NGC has offices in the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan.
NGC’s Managing Director, Mohamed Bahaa, will serve as APCO’s managing director of public affairs in the MENA region.
Bahaa comments, “The practice of public affairs is a fairly nascent one in the dynamic MENA region, but one that is critically important to multinational companies and other clients looking to align their objectives with key government priorities, secure their permission to operate and achieve their goals.”
APCO Worldwide also announced that is has acquired Strategic Advice, an Italy-based public affairs firm.
With the addition of NGC and Strategic Advice, the company can provide comprehensive and integrated services to its clients in the MENA region and Italy.
Mamoon Sbeih, president, APCO MENA, says, “This acquisition reinforces APCO’s public affairs offering in the MENA region—providing clients with enhanced public policy advisory and support, government relations and communications management, regulatory affairs support and management, policy and regulation monitoring, industry groups and associations management and executive training programs.”
The acquisition will strengthen APCO’s public affairs offering in the MENA region by providing clients with public policy advisory and support, government relations and communications management, regulatory affairs support and management, policy and regulation monitoring, industry groups and associations management, and executive training programs.
In March, APCO made a strategic push into financial communications with the acquisition of London-based financial communications firm, Camarco, and Chicago-based transformation and consulting firm, Gagen MacDonald.
