Warschawski, a full-service advertising, marketing, digital, public relations, branding, web design, VR/AR, videography and photography, creative and crisis communications agency, announced the addition of Sid Balman as Senior Vice President in its D.C. office. Sid will oversee client strategy, day-to-day activities and new business development.
An award-winning journalist, entrepreneur, behavior-change communications specialist and author, Balman has a diverse background, including diplomatic affairs, strategic communications, business development, foreign aid and global campaigns.
Early in his career, Balman, a Pulitzer-nominated national security correspondent, covered wars in the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, and traveled extensively with American presidents and secretaries of state on overseas diplomatic missions.
With the emergence of the web and the commoditizing of content, he transitioned into the business aspect of communications. Balman helped found a news syndicate focused on the interests of women and girls, served as communications chief for the largest consortium of US international development organizations, headed two successful strategic communications agencies and launched a new division centered around security issues at a large international development firm.
Over two decades, Balman assisted in the conception and management of some of the most consequential efforts to increase awareness and government spending on global poverty reduction, including the UN Millennium Development Goals Campaign and Irish musician, Bono’s One Campaign. He pioneered digital strategies on behalf of a number of governments in partnership with some of the world’s leading social media, advertising and international development firms.
With extensive expertise in all sectors, Balman has worked with an array of organizations, including the Gates Foundation, Google, the Conference of Catholic Bishops, Harvard, M&C Saatchi, the international litigation firm Lewis Baach and the Swiss retailing behemoth, Migros, among others.
Balman is the author of “Seventh Flag,” a work of historical fiction on the radicalization of America and Europe since World War II, scheduled for release October 2019, and a contributing writer to Outside Magazine as well as other publications.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sid Balman to the W family,” said Shana Harris, COO of Warschawski. “With over three decades of multidimensional experience in all sectors, Sid brings an extensive business acumen and expertise in strategic communications, that includes foundations and government affairs. He has already provided fantastic insight into successful business strategies and tactics, which will serve to advance Warschawski’s efforts both nationally and internationally. We look forward to working with Sid to help continue to grow the agency’s footprint.”
