FGS Global
| Company type | Portfolio firm |
|---|---|
| Industry | Strategic advisory and communications |
| Predecessor | Finsbury Glover Hering, Sard Verbinnen & Co |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Fate | Formed by merger of Finsbury Glover Hering and Sard Verbinnen & Co; majority stake acquired by KKR in 2024 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East) |
Key people | Alexander Geiser (CEO) |
| Products | Strategic advisory, communications, corporate reputation management, financial communications, public affairs, crisis response, transaction advisory support |
| Owner | Kite Bidco Inc (controlling interest as of August 2024), KKR (majority stake as of December 2024) |
Number of employees | More than 1,000 professionals (2022) |
FGS Global is a consultancy specializing in strategic advisory and communications, with its main office located in New York City. Established in 2021 through the combination of Finsbury Glover Hering and Sard Verbinnen & Co, it functions as a portfolio firm under KKR.
The firm provides a range of services including managing corporate reputations, financial communications, public affairs, crisis response, and advisory support for transactions.
History
Finsbury was created by Roland Rudd in 1994. In 2001, the company was acquired by WPP in a transaction that reportedly netted Rudd £40 million, while he retained his role as chairman.
RLM Finsbury
In 2011, Finsbury joined forces with the New York-based Robinson Lerer & Montgomery to become RLM Finsbury. Rudd continued as chairman, with Walter G. Montgomery serving as CEO until his retirement in 2014; he remained involved as a partner. Michael Gross took over as CEO until 2017, after which he transitioned to Vice-Chair when Paul Holmes assumed the CEO position.
2012 Wikipedia editing
In 2012, The Times disclosed that Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, ahead of a significant London stock market debut for his mobile company MegaFon, engaged RLM Finsbury to discreetly enhance his online reputation prior to the listing. The Telegraph uncovered that RLM Finsbury employees had anonymously removed references to a Soviet-era conviction and a freedom of speech controversy from Usmanov's Wikipedia page, substituting them with mentions of his philanthropic activities and art collection. The firm later issued a public apology, explaining that these edits were unauthorized and would not happen again.
Finsbury rebrand
In 2014, RLM Finsbury adopted the name Finsbury to highlight its global growth ambitions. In 2020, it introduced "Finsbury's Workforce Return," a consultancy service designed to assist companies with employee reintegration following COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
Finsbury Glover Hering
January 2021 saw Finsbury merge with The Glover Park Group and Hering Schuppener to create Finsbury Glover Hering. This new organization operated from 18 offices worldwide and employed close to 700 consultants. WPP maintained a 50.01% ownership stake. Leadership after the merger included co-chairs Rudd and GPG founder Carter Eskew, alongside CEO Alexander Geiser from Hering Schuppener. By October 2021, the company’s valuation had reached $917 million.
FGS Global
In December 2021, Finsbury Glover Hering combined with Sard Verbinnen & Co., rebranding as FGS Global with Geiser appointed as CEO. The agency expanded to 25 offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, employing more than 1,000 professionals. By October 2022, FGS Global had launched its eighth European office. That year, it ranked first worldwide in both the number and value of mergers and acquisitions transactions supported. By January 2023, FGS was leading communication consulting efforts for operations based in Spain.
In April 2023, US private equity firm KKR initiated negotiations and subsequently acquired a 30% share in FGS Global, valuing the business at around $1.4 billion. This transaction included Golden State Capital divesting its entire holding to KKR.
By December 2024, KKR purchased a majority stake in FGS Global from WPP for $767 million, further solidifying its influence within strategic communications and advisory services.
Noteworthy Clients
In May 2025, FGS Global provided advisory services to DICK's Sporting Goods for its $2.5 billion purchase of Foot Locker.
Ownership
As of August 2024, Kite Bidco Inc holds the controlling interest in FGS Global. Golden Gate Capital possesses a 40% share in Sard Verbinnen & Co. and maintains a minor equity position in FGS Global following the merger. Nearly 40% of the workforce are equity holders, with 25.9% coming from the former FGH.
Legacy Firms
The Glover Park Group was launched in June 2001 by Michael Feldman, Carter Eskew, Joe Lockhart, and Chip Smith—former White House and Democratic campaign strategists—and specialized in legislative advocacy via television advertising and public affairs. It was acquired by WPP in November 2011, at which point it reported $60 million in yearly revenue.
Founded in 1992 by George Sard and Paul Verbinnen, Sard Verbinnen & Co. concentrated on managing transactions, investor communications, and crisis management. By 2021, the firm had grown to employ over 200 specialists.
Hering Schuppener, created in 1995 by Ralf Hering and Bernd Schuppener in Düsseldorf, Germany, delivered capital markets communication services encompassing mergers and acquisitions, restructuring efforts, as well as advisory support in crisis public relations, reputation oversight, and political communication strategies.