What Image Building does

Image Building S.r.l. S.B. is an independent strategic communication consulting firm headquartered in Milan with a secondary office in Rome, founded in 1987 by Giuliana Paoletti. The firm operates a B2B consulting model, delivering tailored advisory services across ten integrated specializations: corporate communication, financial communication, ESG advisory, legal communication, brand and consumer communication, healthcare communication, crisis management, advocacy and institutional relations, visual communication, and digital communication and analytics. Its client base spans more than 300 enterprises supported over its 35-plus-year history, with marquee relationships across banking (UniCredit, Banca Generali, Monte dei Paschi di Siena), luxury and fashion (Prada, Moncler, Ferragamo, Barilla, Lavazza), healthcare (Ospedale San Raffaele, Gruppo San Donato, DiaSorin), legal (Dentons, Gianni & Origoni, Carnelutti), real estate (Covivio, IGD), private equity (Clessidra, Ardian), defense and naval (Fincantieri, Ferretti Group), telecommunications (TIM), and e-commerce (Yoox Net-a-Porter).

The firm monetizes through project-based consulting engagements and ongoing advisory retainers, with pricing quote-based and tailored per client scope. Go-to-market is direct sales-led, with the firm engaging C-suite and IR leadership at client organizations. The team of over 60 professionals is organized into ten specialized divisions, each headed by a domain lead, supporting the firm's claim of 250+ successfully executed extraordinary financial operations (M&A, IPO, OPA, capital increases). In February 2025 the firm converted to a Società Benefit (Benefit Corporation), codifying social and environmental commitments in its statute, and in 2025 received the EcoVadis Medal for sustainability performance and the Gender Equality Certification (UNI/PdR 125:2022). The firm operates no proprietary technology platform; its digital capabilities are partially delivered through a partnership with Oniro Agency for website development, SEO, and digital advertising.

Name

Image Building

Legal name

Image Building S.r.l. S.B.

Website

https://imagebuilding.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Image Building is an independent Italian strategic communication consultancy founded in 1987, delivering B2B advisory services across corporate, financial, ESG, legal, brand, healthcare, crisis, advocacy, visual, and digital communication to over 300 enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Strategic Communication Consulting

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (541820), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile/Digital Experiential (AR/VR, Interactive Installations) (MPAAAGAI)

Keywords

• Strategic communication consulting
• Corporate public relations
• Financial communication advisory
• Crisis management consulting
• ESG advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communication Consulting Services: Professional consulting services delivered across 10 specialized areas including corporate communication, financial communication, ESG advisory, legal communication, brand and consumer communication, healthcare communication, crisis management, advocacy, visual communication, and digital analytics. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements and ongoing advisory retainer relationships with clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Image Building is an independent strategic communication consulting firm that advises companies, entrepreneurs, and top management on corporate positioning, financial transaction communication, ESG, legal, brand/consumer, healthcare, crisis, advocacy, visual, and digital communication. Services are delivered as tailored consulting engagements and ongoing advisory retainers by a team of 60+ professionals across ten specialized divisions, supported by an established network of relationships with the Italian and international financial community and media.

Product overview

Image Building is an independent strategic communication consulting firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of 10 integrated communication services. The core offering spans Corporate Communication, Financial Communication, ESG Advisory, Legal Communication, Brand and Consumer Communication, Healthcare Communication, Crisis Consulting and Management, Advocacy and Institutional Relations, Visual Communication, and Digital Communication and Analytics. Founded in 1987, the company provides tailored consulting solutions for Italian and international companies across diverse sectors including financial, legal, real estate, healthcare, fashion, design, and consumer goods. The company operates through specialized divisions managed by a team of over 60 professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Communication (Comunicazione Corporate) Strategic corporate communication consulting that helps companies, entrepreneurs, and top management position themselves in the market through integrated online and offline channels.
• Financial Communication (Comunicazione Finanziaria) Financial communication services for listed companies or those seeking to go public, covering IPOs, OPAs, capital increases, and M&A transactions.
• ESG Advisory (Advisory ESG) ESG advisory services guiding companies in managing the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability with measurable objectives.
• Legal Communication (Comunicazione Legale) Communication strategy management for law firms and legal professionals, enhancing expertise areas and increasing visibility in specialized and generalist media; practice established since 1999.
• Brand and Consumer Communication (Comunicazione Brand e Consumer) Brand and consumer communication strategies that enhance identity, values, and positioning across Fashion, Design, Lifestyle, Luxury, Yachting, Culture, Food & Beverage, Tech, and Events sectors.
• Healthcare Communication (Comunicazione Healthcare) Healthcare communication consulting for hospitals, clinics, research institutes, multinationals, biomedical centers, and healthcare institutions, supporting the definition and implementation of communication strategies.
• Crisis Consulting and Management (Consulenza e Gestione di Crisi) Strategic crisis communication consulting for corporate, product, labor, and legal crises, delivered by a team with thirty years of experience.
• Advocacy and Institutional Relations (Advocacy e Relazioni Istituzionali) Communication strategies and activities aimed at participating in political and regulatory debates, raising awareness and increasing consensus among public and institutional stakeholders.
• Visual Communication (Comunicazione Visiva) Strategic creativity for branding and image projects, defining brand identity through coordinated image design for print and online use.
• Digital Communication and Analytics (Comunicazione Digital e Analytics) Digital communication and analytics services including website development, SEO optimization, social media communication, digital advertising, and social listening, with website development executed via Oniro Agency partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 extraordinary financial operations successfully supported (including M&A, IPO, OPA, capital increases)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Oniro AgencysupportingTechnology or IntegrationOniro Agency is a company specialized in Digital Marketing that is affiliated with Image Building. The partnership handles website development, SEO optimization, and Digital Advertising activities for Image Building's clients.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• FleishmanHillard Italy: FleishmanHillard (Omnicom) is a global PR and integrated communications agency with Italian presence, offering corporate reputation, public affairs, and crisis management services that compete with Image Building's crisis and corporate practices.
• Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW) Italy: BCW (WPP) is a major global communications agency with Italian operations, offering corporate, financial, healthcare, and crisis communications that directly overlap with Image Building's portfolio for large Italian enterprise clients.
• Edelman Italy: Edelman is one of the world's largest PR firms with a strong Italian office offering corporate, financial, brand, and crisis communications — competing for the same blue-chip Italian mandates as Image Building but with significantly greater global scale and resources.
• Weber Shandwick Italy: Weber Shandwick (IPG) is a global communications network with an Italian presence, offering integrated corporate, financial, healthcare, and consumer communications — a broad incumbent that overlaps with most of Image Building's 10 practice areas.
• Havas PR Italy: Havas PR is part of Havas Group with Italian operations, providing brand communications, corporate communications, and integrated marketing services that overlap with Image Building's brand and consumer practice.
• MSL Italy (Publicis): MSL is Publicis Groupe's public relations and strategic communications network with Italian operations, providing corporate, consumer, healthcare, and financial communications services comparable to Image Building's integrated offering.
• Ketchum Italy (Omnicom): Ketchum is a major global communications consultancy with Italian operations, offering corporate, brand, and healthcare communications that compete for the same Italian enterprise client mandates as Image Building.

Direct peers

• SEC Newgate: SEC Newgate is a global strategic communications and public affairs group with strong Italian operations, directly competing for financial communication, corporate communications, and public affairs mandates against Image Building's core service lines.
• Barabino & Partners: Barabino & Partners is an Italian independent communications and public relations consultancy with similar focus on corporate, financial, and institutional communications — a closely comparable domestic peer competing for the same Italian enterprise clients.
• Community Group: Community Group is an Italian communications and public relations group offering corporate, financial, digital, and crisis communications — a domestic Italian competitor of comparable scale and service breadth to Image Building.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/image-building

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Image Building