Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Hill+Knowlton Strategies is a global strategic communications consultancy founded in 1927 that serves large enterprise clients across technology, consumer goods, healthcare, and professional services with integrated strategic communications, public affairs, advisory, intelligence, and creative services, operating as a subsidiary of WPP.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1927
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hill+Knowlton Strategies does
Hill+Knowlton Strategies, founded in 1927 and headquartered in New York, is a global strategic communications consultancy that delivers integrated services across five practice areas: Strategic Communications, Public Affairs, Advisory, Intelligence & Technology, and Innovation & Creative. The firm serves large enterprise clients — including Mozilla, adidas, Li-Ning, Reckitt (Durex and Air Wick), Deloitte, and GSK — across consumer goods, technology, healthcare, and professional services, addressing business transformation, risk management, reputation building, and stakeholder engagement. A sub-brand, Ideal, targets disruptive technology companies with positioning and communications support. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; revenue is generated through enterprise retainer-based consulting agreements and project-based engagements delivered via the firm's global office network.
The company's underlying technology layer is described as an integration of intelligence, data-driven tools, technology solutions, creative strategy, and senior advisory capability, rather than a proprietary software platform. There are no disclosed APIs, SDKs, patents, or AI/ML products. The firm monetizes professional services through enterprise field sales and direct advisory relationships, targeting senior corporate communications decision-makers. Operationally, H+K maintains offices across North America (US, Canada), Europe (UK, Finland, Norway), and Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile), the latter following the 2022 acquisition of JeffreyGroup.
Hill+Knowlton operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of WPP, the London-based multinational communications conglomerate. In 2024, WPP executed a major restructuring that merged Hill+Knowlton with BCW into a new combined entity called Burson, consolidating the parent's PR operations under a single brand. Prior to that, H+K executed a sustained inorganic growth strategy, completing 15+ disclosed acquisitions since 1999, including JeffreyGroup (2022, Latin America), 3K Agentur für Kommunikation (2023, German-speaking markets), Group SJR (2013, digital content), and Ascentum (2012, public affairs). The company's headcount is reported in the 1,001–5,000 range, and specific revenue is not publicly disclosed.
Hill+Knowlton Strategies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hill+Knowlton Strategies
- Legal name
- Hill & Knowlton
- Website
- https://hkstrategies.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1927
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Hill+Knowlton Strategies is a global strategic communications consultancy founded in 1927 that serves large enterprise clients across technology, consumer goods, healthcare, and professional services with integrated strategic communications, public affairs, advisory, intelligence, and creative services, operating as a subsidiary of WPP.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hill+Knowlton Strategies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Strategic Communications Consulting
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Data, Analytics & AI Consulting (BPAHAEAF), Organization Design & Operating Model Consulting (BPAHAGAB)
Keywords
Where Hill+Knowlton Strategies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Hill+Knowlton Strategies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Strategic Communications Consulting Services: Hill+Knowlton generates revenue through professional services engagements with enterprise clients, delivering strategic communications, public affairs, advisory, creative, and intelligence solutions. Revenue is driven by retainer-based consulting agreements and project-based engagements across its global office network.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Hill+Knowlton Strategies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hill+Knowlton Strategies is a global strategic communications consultancy that delivers integrated services across five core areas: Strategic Communications, Public Affairs, Advisory, Intelligence & Technology, and Innovation & Creative. The firm helps enterprise clients manage risk, build reputation, and drive business transformation through messaging, stakeholder engagement, government relations, crisis management, and data-driven communication campaigns. Engagements are delivered on retainer or project bases across a global office network spanning North America, Europe, and Latin America.
Product overview
Hill+Knowlton Strategies is a global strategic communications consultancy offering an integrated suite of five core services: Strategic Communications, Public Affairs, Advisory, Intelligence & Technology, and Innovation & Creative. The company positions itself as a strategic partner for transformation, helping clients communicate to lead across growth, risk, and reputation challenges. Services are delivered through its global network, with additional focus on disruptive technology companies through its Ideal sub-brand.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ideal: A brand focusing on disruptive technology companies, expanded to a global market under new leadership.
Products and services
- Strategic Communications
- Public Affairs
- Advisory
- Intelligence & Technology
- Innovation & Creative
- Ideal
Companies that use Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hill+Knowlton Strategies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Hill+Knowlton Strategies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- JeffreyGroupcoreHill+Knowlton acquired JeffreyGroup, a leading Latin American communication firm, in September 2022. The acquisition significantly enhanced H+K's regional presence in Latin America and created the largest global agency footprint in the region. This represents a core strategic expansion of Hill+Knowlton's geographic coverage and client service capabilities in Latin markets.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hill+Knowlton Strategies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Weber Shandwick: IPG-owned global communications firm with similar strategic communications, public affairs, and advisory capabilities, regularly competing with H+K on enterprise transformation engagements.
- Brunswick Group: Specialist strategic communications and advisory firm focused on C-suite counsel, M&A, and critical situations—directly overlapping with H+K's Advisory and Public Affairs offerings.
- Edelman: The world's largest independent PR firm, offering strategic communications, public affairs, and advisory services to global enterprise clients—a near-mirror competitor to H+K's integrated five-pillar model.
- BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe): Former WPP sibling agency now merged with H+K into Burson; historically a direct global competitor in strategic communications and public affairs.
- FGS Global: WPP-adjacent strategic communications firm (with KKR taking a 50.1% stake), operating in the same high-end advisory and public affairs space as H+K and serving similar Fortune-level clients.
- FleishmanHillard: Omnicom-owned global PR and communications agency with a comparable integrated service portfolio and multinational enterprise client base, competing directly for the same strategic communications mandates.
- MSL (Publicis): Publicis Groupe's strategic communications and engagement network, offering public relations, public affairs, and advisory services that compete head-to-head with H+K across enterprise clients globally.
- Ketchum: Omnicom-owned global PR network offering strategic communications and brand marketing services to large multinational clients in a directly comparable service mix.
Broad incumbents
- Burson: The combined entity formed in 2024 by merging Hill+Knowlton with BCW under WPP. Direct inheritor of H+K's operations and the most comparable global strategic communications firm.
- Ogilvy PR: WPP sibling network within Ogilvy, offering integrated communications and influence services as part of a broader advertising/PR portfolio, frequently competing for the same enterprise clients.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hill+Knowlton Strategies social profiles
Digital presenceHill+Knowlton Strategies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hill+Knowlton Strategies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Hill+Knowlton Strategies subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Hill+Knowlton Strategies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hill+Knowlton Strategies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A15 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hill+Knowlton Strategies
What does Hill+Knowlton Strategies do?
Hill+Knowlton Strategies is a global strategic communications consultancy that delivers integrated services across five core areas: Strategic Communications, Public Affairs, Advisory, Intelligence & Technology, and Innovation & Creative. The firm helps enterprise clients manage risk, build reputation, and drive business transformation through messaging, stakeholder engagement, government relations, crisis management, and data-driven communication campaigns. Engagements are delivered on retainer or project bases across a global office network spanning North America, Europe, and Latin America.
Is Hill+Knowlton Strategies a public or private company?
Hill+Knowlton Strategies is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Hill+Knowlton Strategies founded?
Hill+Knowlton Strategies was founded in 1927. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Hill+Knowlton Strategies based?
Hill+Knowlton Strategies is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hill+Knowlton Strategies make money?
One revenue line is on record: strategic Communications Consulting Services.
Who are Hill+Knowlton Strategies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Weber Shandwick, Brunswick Group, Edelman, BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe), FGS Global, FleishmanHillard, MSL (Publicis) and Ketchum. Broad incumbents are Burson and Ogilvy PR.
Does Hill+Knowlton Strategies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hill+Knowlton Strategies.
What industry is Hill+Knowlton Strategies in?
Hill+Knowlton Strategies's product category is Strategic Communications Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHACAA, Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAHAEAF, Data, Analytics & AI Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.