Clyde Group, one of Washington’s fastest-growing communications and public relations agencies, announced the unveiling of its Global Engagement Practice. The practice is predicated on existing work supporting and advising institutions, governments, political leaders, trade organizations and NGOs seeking to tell their stories, build their brands and visibility and navigate challenging geopolitical issues.
Scott Nolan Smith, who joined the firm as a vice president earlier this year, will lead the practice. Smith has more than a decade of global strategic communications experience. An expert in soft power, he has led a number of projects guiding foundations, governments and brands seeking to better engage both locally and globally. In a previous role, Smith managed the development of The Soft Power 30 – an index report measuring the potential influence of nations and worked on projects with clients ranging from the Smithsonian Institution and Carnegie Corporation of New York to the governments of Qatar and Australia. He is a founder and board member of the Digital Diplomacy Coalition and previously served as head of digital at the British Embassy in Washington.
“Clyde Group brings a multi-sector expertise to all its work, and Global Engagement is no exception. This dedicated practice area serves globally-minded organizations, whether governments, NGOs or corporations,” said Scott Nolan Smith. “Our collective knowledge and individual experience reflects a deep sense of global citizenship and an understanding that, as globalization accelerates, making meaningful and impactful connections across boundaries is more important than ever.”
The Global Engagement Practice builds on individual backgrounds from across the Clyde team ranging from global media relations to diplomacy to international political advisory, and Clyde Group’s experience advising such clients as the United Nations Foundation, The Royal Mint, CAF America, the Catalonia America Council and others.
“I have always had a formative interest in global affairs, and at Clyde Group we have been privileged to do some really amazing work. As we grow and expand our expertise and services, it is natural for us to develop our own unique Global Engagement offering,” said Clyde Group Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Alex Slater. “The new practice is a testament not only to our continued growth but of our cosmopolitan and diverse approach to public relations.”
This practice also pays homage to Slater’s tri-nationality, as he is a citizen of the United States, France and the United Kingdom. In addition to his heritage, Slater has led communications efforts for well-known clients and luminaries across the globe, including a rapid-response message development and U.S. policymaker engagement program for the Republic of Georgia, media training for Microsoft general counsel in advance of an EU media tour and a public affairs campaign for The Royal Mint.
As a member of the Interel Global Partnership, a network of agencies operating in more than 60 markets, Clyde Group has both international reach and access to local expertise to deliver results for clients wherever they operate. The practice’s team is comprised of Clyde members who have worked on global media efforts surrounding the expansion of the Panama Canal, international media relations for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, public affairs and cultural efforts at the U.S. Embassy in London, global engagement efforts for the Qatar Foundation, government communications programs across all major continents and political campaigns from Jamaica to the UK.
