Ruder Finn
| Private | |
| Industry |
Communications Public Relations Marketing |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Headquarters |
New York City Beijing |
|
Area served
|
Global |
|
Key people
|
Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO David Finn, Founder Bill Ruder, Founder |
| Website | www.ruderfinn.com |
Ruder Finn is a public relations with co-headquarters in the United States and China. It is one of the world’s largest privately owned communications agencies. The agency has four divisions: Health & Wellness, Corporate Reputation & Transformation, RFI Studios, and Consumer Connections."
Ruder Finn was established in 1948 in New York by David Finn and Bill Ruder. The firm is currently lead by CEO Kathy Bloomgarden, Ph.D., daughter of David Finn.
Their first client was Perry Como, and over time they expanded their network to include consumer products companies as well as government agencies.
In the 1960s through late 1990s, while representing long-time client Philip Morris (now Altria), Ruder Finn was instrumental in crafting the public relations campaign that disputed the evidence tobacco smoking is hazardous to health.
In 1997, Ruder Finn ran the Global Climate Coalition, a group of mainly United States businesses opposing action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In 1998, the firm was caught in a conflict of interest after it was revealed that it represented both the Jewish Agency for Israel and Switzerland government. The Jewish Agency's World Jewish Restitution Organization was pursuing a settlement with the Swiss government over its financial dealings during World War II.
In 1999 Ruder Finn established RFI Studios, a digital practice, to help clients protect and build their reputation online. The agency expanded in Asia, establishing offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Singapore, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
In 2005, pro bono work done for the UN raised speculation when Kofi Annan's nephew, Kobina, worked as an intern at the firm.
In 2012, Ruder Finn accepted a contract worth from the government of Maldives that was condemned by the Commonwealth of Nations for organizing a political coup d'état that led to the fall of the first democratically elected President of the Maldives. Vice-president of Ruder Finn Tchividjian "admitted there were 'diverse points of views' surrounding the circumstances around the change of government" the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group reiterated its call for early elections to be held in the Maldives.
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Wikipedia