Kekst CNC

What Kekst CNC does

Kekst CNC is a global strategic communications consultancy founded around 1970, operating as the dedicated strategic communications arm of Publicis Groupe. With 300+ professionals across 15 offices spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, the firm provides bespoke advisory services to enterprises ranging from startups to the largest global corporations. Core service areas include crisis and issues management, cybersecurity communications, mergers and acquisitions advisory, initial public offerings, financial communications, corporate governance and shareholder activism, restructuring, and litigation support. The firm is consistently ranked Band 1 globally by Chambers and Partners for both Crisis Communications and Cybersecurity Communications and was named the #2 global M&A PR advisor by Mergermarket in 2022.

The firm's revenue model is professional services-based, generating income through advisory fees tied to project-based engagements, with pricing quoted and tailored to client scope rather than standardized. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales, with relationships built through reputation, expertise recognition, and advisory trust in high-stakes situations. Kekst CNC differentiates through two proprietary research assets: the Executive Impact Score, an AI-driven measurement system developed in partnership with Oxford University Innovation that evaluates executive communications across seven factors, and the Munich Security Index, an annual global risk perception survey produced with the Munich Security Conference. Distribution of thought leadership extends across the firm's website, the Above the Noise video series, LinkedIn, and active participation in industry events including NACD Summits and the Munich Security Conference.

Name

Kekst CNC

Legal name

Kekst and Company, Incorporated d/b/a Kekst CNC

Website

https://kekstcnc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kekst CNC is a global strategic communications consultancy serving enterprises from startups to large multinationals across crisis management, cybersecurity communications, M&A advisory, IPOs, and shareholder activism, operating 15 offices with 300+ professionals as a subsidiary of Publicis Groupe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Strategic Communications Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Capital Markets Advisory (IPO Readiness, SPAC, ECM/DCM Advisory) (BPAHAOAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Security Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Advisory (BPAKADAG), Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Advisory & Assessments (BPAKAHAH)

Keywords

• Strategic communications
• Crisis management
• Corporate governance
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Investor relations

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Advisory: Professional consulting services for strategic and financial communications including crisis management, M&A advisory, corporate governance, and reputation management. Revenue generated through advisory fees for high-stakes communications counsel.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kekst CNC is a global strategic communications consultancy that advises corporations, financial sponsors, and other organizations on how to communicate during moments that materially affect reputation, value, and license to operate. Its core services include crisis and issues management, cybersecurity communications, M&A and shareholder activism defense, IPO and capital markets communications, corporate governance and investor relations advisory, public affairs, regulatory and litigation communications, and restructuring support. The firm also produces proprietary research and digital products such as the Executive Impact Score, the Munich Security Index, and the Above the Noise video series.

Product overview

Kekst CNC is a global strategic communications consultancy offering integrated advisory services across corporate communications, financial communications, crisis management, and stakeholder engagement. The firm provides a comprehensive portfolio of 16 core service areas including Crisis and Issues Management, Cybersecurity Communications, Financial Communications, M&A, IPO advisory, Corporate Governance, and Research & Analytics. The firm also offers proprietary research products including the Executive Impact Score (developed with Oxford University for analyzing leadership communications), the Above the Noise video series, and the annual Munich Security Index (in partnership with the Munich Security Conference). With over 300 professionals across 15 global offices, the firm delivers bespoke strategic counsel to help clients manage reputation, navigate high-stakes situations, and communicate effectively with key stakeholders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crisis and Issues Management

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked Band 1 worldwide for both Crisis Communications and Cybersecurity Communications by Chambers and Partners 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Oxford University InnovationcoreTechnology or Integration · 3 June 2024Kekst CNC partnered with Oxford University Innovation to develop the Executive Impact Score, a pioneering measurement system that reveals the internal workings of successful executive communication using AI-driven data analysis and expert assessment to calibrate seven critical factors that make leaders memorable.
• Munich Security ConferenceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Since 2021, Kekst CNC has partnered with the Munich Security Conference on the annual Munich Security Index, a comprehensive research initiative analyzing global risk perceptions across G7 and BICS nations. The MSI provides valuable insights into attitudes and perceptions of critical issues and contributes to the annual Munich Security Report.
• Publicis GroupeflagshipOthersKekst CNC is the global strategic communications consultancy of Publicis Groupe, which brings complementary expertise across marketing, brand communications, and digital transformation. Arthur Sadoun serves as Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• H/Advisors Abernathy: Global strategic communications consultancy (formerly Abernathy MacGregor, now part of Havas) specializing in M&A, shareholder activism, and crisis communications. Direct competitor in transaction communications with a similar enterprise client profile and league-table presence.
• Joele Frank: US-headquartered strategic communications and investor relations advisory firm focused on M&A, shareholder activism, restructurings, and special situations. Closely comparable in deal-driven communications work, particularly for large US public companies and financial sponsors.
• FTI Consulting: Global advisory firm with a large Strategic Communications segment providing M&A, crisis, financial communications, and shareholder activism services to enterprise clients. Directly comparable in service breadth, client base, and Chambers-recognized crisis and cybersecurity communications practice.
• Brunswick Group: Global strategic communications advisory firm specializing in critical issues, M&A, shareholder activism, and crisis. Operates with a similar global office network, serves many of the same large-cap corporate clients, and is consistently named alongside Kekst CNC in Chambers and Mergermarket rankings.
• Finsbury Glover Hering: Global strategic communications and advisory firm formed by the merger of Finsbury, Hering, and Glover Park. Competes directly with Kekst CNC in M&A communications, crisis, public affairs, and shareholder activism, with comparable global reach and enterprise client base.
• Sard Verbinnen & Co: Strategic communications firm focused on M&A, shareholder activism, crisis, and litigation support. Now part of FTI Consulting but still operated as a focused peer brand, competing for the same high-stakes enterprise mandates as Kekst CNC.
• ICR (Investor Relations and Strategic Communications): Publicly traded strategic communications and advisory firm with a strong financial communications, IPO, M&A, and crisis practice. Directly comparable service lines and a similar enterprise client base in investor relations and capital markets communications.

Broad incumbents

• Weber Shandwick: Global communications and public affairs firm part of the Interpublic Group, with a strong corporate, financial, and crisis communications practice. Overlaps with Kekst CNC in enterprise corporate reputation work but is a much larger, broader portfolio player.
• Edelman: Largest independent global PR firm with deep corporate, crisis, financial, and public affairs practices. Competes with Kekst CNC for corporate reputation and crisis mandates but operates at much broader scale across consumer, health, and public affairs.

Emerging players

• Real Chemistry: Data-driven communications and marketing firm (formerly W2O Group) with growing enterprise communications, crisis, and health-focused practices. Comparable in combining data analytics with strategic communications advisory, though with a different sector mix and growth profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KekstCNC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kekst-cnc
• Facebookfacebook.com/kekstcncsthlm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kekst CNC