DGM Conseil

What DGM Conseil does

DGM Conseil is a Paris-based strategic communications consulting firm, founded in 1986 by Michel Calzaroni as the first public relations advisory firm established in Paris. The firm operates as a subsidiary of the Forward Global group and offers six integrated practice areas: corporate communication, crisis communication, financial communication, judicial communication (gestion médiatique sous contrainte judiciaire), engagement and responsibility communication (ESG/RSE), and digital strategy. Its stated positioning is as a high-touch boutique advising the leaders of major French and international corporations, financial institutions, governments, and family-controlled enterprises; the firm claims to have advised more than half of the CAC 40 at various points over its 38-year history.

The business model is pure professional services: bespoke, quote-based advisory engagements delivered by senior consultants to C-suite clients. There is no proprietary technology platform, no SaaS product, and no disclosed pricing model. Customer logos are predominantly CAC 40-grade — AXA, LVMH, Bolloré, TotalEnergies, Wendel, BNP Paribas, Danone, Sanofi, Engie — alongside government engagements (Morocco COP 22), a Holocaust memorial (Mémorial de la Shoah), cleantech (NW), and family business dynasties (Mulliez). Long-tenure relationships (AXA since 1986, LVMH since 1997, TotalEnergies since 2001, Wendel since 2005) indicate embedded multi-decade advisory mandates rather than transactional project work.

The firm employs 11-50 staff across offices in Paris (headquarters, 17 Avenue Hoche), London, and Washington D.C., with the latter two delivered through the Forward Global parent group. Senior leadership combines former magistrates (Guillaume Didier, Julia Nioré), ministerial advisors (Déborah Guedj from Banque de France/Ministry of Economy; Valentin Ducros from Minister Dupond-Moretti's cabinet), senior journalists (Pascal Pogam from L'Express and Les Échos; Matthieu Lebeau from L'Express), and ex-CNPF/MEDEF communications directors. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; share capital is €4,162,586 as of 2023.

Name

DGM Conseil

Legal name

SAS Calzaroni Michel

Website

https://dgm-conseil.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DGM Conseil is a Paris-based boutique strategic communications consultancy, founded in 1986 and operating under the Forward Global group, advising CAC 40 corporates, financial institutions, governments, and family businesses on corporate, crisis, financial, judicial, ESG, and digital communications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Communications Consulting

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182), Public Relations Agencies (541820)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Financial Communications PR (MPAAADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Meeting & Conference Planning & Coordination (HSACADAA), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK), Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Strategic communications consulting
• Crisis communications advisory
• Financial communications services
• Corporate public relations
• Judicial communications advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communication Consulting: DGM Conseil generates revenue through bespoke consulting engagements providing communication strategy advisory services to corporate leaders, financial institutions, and government entities. Services include corporate communication, crisis communication, financial communication, judicial communication, digital strategy, and engagement/responsibility communication.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

DGM Conseil is a strategic communications consultancy that advises corporate leaders, boards, and institutions on corporate communication, crisis communication, financial communication, judicial communication, ESG/responsibility communication, and digital strategy. The firm serves CAC 40 companies, financial institutions, government entities, and family-owned businesses, delivering bespoke advisory engagements from offices in Paris, London, and Washington D.C.

Product overview

DGM Conseil is a single-service communication consulting firm offering six integrated specialty areas. The core offering includes corporate communication, crisis communication, financial communication, judicial communication, engagement/responsibility communication, and digital strategy. These services are delivered as specialized but complementary practice areas, unified under the Forward Global group structure. The firm has operated since 1986 as a Paris-based communications consultancy and integrates digital strategy capabilities as a native expertise alongside traditional PR disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Communication corporate (Corporate Communication)

Quantifiable outcome

• Advised over half of CAC 40 companies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cercle de GivernycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024DGM Conseil animates France's principal think tank on CSR/RSE. Activities under the high patronage of the Ministry of Economy. Organizes the Forum de Giverny, 1st annual sustainable business event. Publishes 30 new proposals each year for ecological and social transformation.
• Matthew McConaugheyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Oscar-winning actor and Uvalde native who mobilized following the 2022 school shooting. DGM Conseil provided communication and public affairs support to promote the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
• Collectif d'entreprises pour une économie plus inclusivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Grouping of approximately 40 major French companies (Accenture, AXA, BNP Paribas, Danone, L'Oréal, Engie, Microsoft, Schneider Electric, etc.) representing over 2 million employees in France. Objective: improving conditions for vulnerable French populations through youth employment, poverty reduction, and inclusive procurement.
• Forward GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGM Conseil is a subsidiary of Forward Global, which designs and operates services and technologies for digital, economic, and informational risks. Forward Global owns Forum InCyber and its associated FIC Impact event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kekst CNC: International strategic communications consultancy with deep M&A, IPO, and crisis advisory expertise and a strong Paris presence—comparable client mix of large French and European corporates facing high-stakes transactions and reputation events.
• Brunswick Group: Global advisory firm specializing in critical issues and financial communications for large-cap and listed companies. Directly comparable practice mix (M&A, IPOs, crisis, judicial-adjacent defense) but with much larger international footprint than DGM Conseil.
• FGS Global: Formed by the merger of Finsbury, Glover Hering and other advisory firms; a global leader in financial communications, M&A, IPOs, and crisis advisory—the direct international counterpart to DGM Conseil's corporate and financial communications practice.
• Edelman France: Paris office of Edelman, the world's largest PR firm. Competes for the same CAC 40 financial communications, crisis, and ESG mandates but operates with much broader global resources and an owned newsroom/content studio capability.
• Havas Paris: Large incumbent communications group with a Paris-based PR and influence practice serving CAC 40 clients across corporate, financial, and crisis communications. Broader portfolio than DGM Conseil but directly contestable on French strategic communications.
• FleishmanHillard France: Omnicom-owned global communications consultancy with a strong French presence in corporate, financial, and crisis comm. Directly contestable for CAC 40 and major French institutional clients, with deeper global bench and network scale.

Direct peers

• Angie: French corporate communications and content consultancy with strong CAC 40 presence—directly comparable size and client mix, and the prior employer of DGM partner Matthieu Lebeau. Competes in digital, corporate, and editorial strategy.
• Vae Solis Communications: Paris-based communications advisory specializing in judicial communication and crisis management—DGM Conseil's most direct specialty competitor on communications sous contrainte judiciaire, and the prior employer of partners Guillaume Didier and Valentin Ducros.
• Image Sept: Historic Paris-based PR and financial communications consultancy competing head-to-head for CAC 40 mandates in crisis, financial, and corporate comm. Closest long-standing local rival to DGM Conseil on French corporate communications engagements.
• Publicis Consultants: Paris-based financial and corporate communications consultancy under the Publicis Groupe, offering the same financial comm, M&A advisory, and crisis communication services to large French enterprises as DGM Conseil. Direct overlap on the CAC 40 client set, and notably the recent home of DGM partner Charles-Etienne Lebatard.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dgm-conseil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 DGM Conseil