Mark Krueger, MPH, a strategic leader in global health advocacy and engagement, joined APCO Worldwide as executive director, global health advocacy, Brad Staples, chief executive officer, announced. Krueger will be based in APCO’s New York office.
“With more than three decades of experience, Mark brings an unparalleled wealth of knowledge and experience to APCO’s health team around the world,” said Staples. “As a trusted partner to patient and consumer groups, medical societies and professional associations, NGOs and other stakeholders, Mark has a proven track record of creating respectful partnerships focused on interests shared between these groups, industry, government and other members of the community.”
Until recently, Krueger was the president and founder of Mark Krueger & Associates, Inc. (MK&A), a global advocacy relations consulting firm, from 1995 until its sale in 2018.
“I am pleased to join the team at APCO. I have long admired its leading health practice and how the firm has always respected and partnered with stakeholder groups in ways that improve human health,” said Krueger. “I am very excited to be part of APCO’s enhanced commitment to advocacy, touching discovery and development, disease awareness, approval, appropriate use and access.”
Krueger defined excellence in stakeholder advocacy and engagement, resulting in the approval of more than 15 orphan drugs; the introduction of transformative treatments such as immuno-oncology; the creation of innovative value demonstration models; and the design of important pre-approval drug access programs. His efforts also enhanced the impact and reputation of many companies and associations.
“Mark’s demonstrated ability to bring diverse constituencies together to improve human health will be invaluable to our clients and help them meet their development and commercialization goals quicker, more efficiently and in a compliant fashion,” said Senior Director Alexandra Lazorchak, who leads the North America Health Practice and co-chairs APCO’s Global Health Practice. “We look forward to working with Mark to offer new products and services that tap APCO’s sophisticated digital, crisis and research capabilities around the world.”
“I am delighted to welcome Mark to APCO and I look forward to his counsel for our clients and collaboration with our global team of health experts,” said James Tyrrell, senior director and co-chair of APCO’s Global Health Practice. “Mark’s expertise in helping companies outside North America meet their key milestones; partnering with NGOs to advance global health priorities and to amplify the voice of patients; providing specialized knowledge on diseases and conditions as well as new treatment options such as regenerative medicine; and understanding stakeholders’ impact on policies and practices, comes at an important time when organizations are determining how to evolve in the changing healthcare context.”
APCO’s growing health team includes Jack Kalavritinos, who joined this week as a senior director. Kalavritinos most recently served as director for intergovernmental and external affairs for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Secretary. In addition to Krueger and Kalavritinos, APCO’s health team, coupled with APCO’s Health Advisory Board members—a global, high-level group of public health leaders, heads of communication of large pharmaceutical and insurance companies, and former health policy officials who provide executive-level counsel on healthcare issues and industry trends—includes industry veterans Nancy Turett, Lazorchak, Tyrrell, Stig Albinus, Karine Boulianne, Jack Faris, Seiko Indo, Isabel Kassabian, Dr. Bob Kocher, Christoph Mielke, Katie Milgrom, Dr. Niranjan Pai, Dr. Kavita Patel,Wayne Pines, Sara Stevens, Anne Wang and James Yi. The team works on the forefront of some of the most important healthcare issues today, including the future of payments, drug pricing, chronic diseases and the opioid crisis.
Krueger is joining APCO during a landmark year for the company, as 2019 marks its 35th anniversary. Founded by Margery Kraus as a single-person operation in 1984, APCO has grown to a global advisory and advocacy communications consultancy with nearly 800 employees based in more than 30 global markets. Most recently, APCO expanded its presence in the MENA region with the opening of a new office in Manama, Bahrain.
