Investor Relations
Grayling’s Investor Relations and Financial Media professionals are among the most experienced and respected in the industry. They come from across the financial and media markets, understand the cost of capital and speak the language of the financial community to deliver strategic and financial messages to key audiences. In today’s fast-paced and competitive world, high quality global financial communications and strong investment community relationships are more important than ever, and to maximise shareholder value companies must build visibility and trust with targeted investors, analysts and media contacts.
We stand out from the pack by delivering creative, strategic Investor Relations and Financial Media counsel as well as flawless tactical execution and truly unique events management that drive shareholder value and ultimately grow business. Our comprehensive range of services include senior counsel, strategic messaging, financial reporting counsel, investor and analyst targeting, road-shows, financial media, perception studies, as well as Investor Relations support for IPOs, M&As, bankruptcies, restructurings, and crisis situations.
From private companies seeking to enter the capital markets, to large public multinationals looking for a truly integrated global Investor Relations solution, every programme is designed specifically for each client, built around their needs, goals and objectives. Whatever the campaign goal - be it identifying new investors, raising their profile in the international financial media or guiding them through a complex regulatory procedure – our clients can always expect tangible results.
With 70 Grayling offices in 40 countries worldwide, we work together in a professional, committed and enthusiastic team environment, sharing ideas and optimising expertise from our diverse backgrounds, leveraging geographic teams as well as practice groups. Grayling’s Investor Relations professionals excel in integrating complementary capabilities, including Corporate Communications, Public Relations, Public Affairs and Events Management.
Grayling Investor Relations, a different kind of thinking for a different kind of world.
Our capabilities in worldwide Investor Relations.
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Michael Murphy
Chairman
Rebecca Gudgeon
Business Development Director
Jennifer Paavola
Director, Central Practice Team, CEE, SEE & Eurasia
Bruce Shu
Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific
Erik Knettel
Senior Managing Director
Anne McBride
Chairman, Investor Relations, New York
Marcey Brightwell
New Business, USA - West Coast/Sacramento
Michael Murphy
Chairman
Telephone: +44 20 7932 1841
michael.murphy@grayling.com
Michael Murphy is CEO of Grayling. Prior to this role Michael was CEO of Trimedia International which merged with Mmd and Grayling to create the Grayling of today. Under his leadership, Trimedia was named Best European Agency at the European Excellence Awards 2008 and Best Multicountry Agency to Work For 2008 by the Holmes World Report.
With a career spanning over 30 years, Michael has considerable experience in handling global communications programmes in most parts of the world.
In 1993, Michael Murphy was appointed Head of Shandwick’s Hong Kong Office and, the following year, took over as Chief Executive of Shandwick’s Asian operations. He was later appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Shandwick Europe and then Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Shandwick International, with responsibility for Europe and Asia Pacific.
Michael was working for The Hatch Group, a small €6M UK PR company, when it was acquired by Huntsworth plc in 2003. The following year he led Huntsworth’s acquisition of Trimedia, kick-starting the fastest ever growth story in European PR.
Michael also chaired a joint study between the UK Government and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) into the future of the UK PR sector.
Rebecca Gudgeon
Business Development Director
Telephone: +44 (0) 7814 028 559
Rebecca.gudgeon@grayling.com
Jennifer Paavola
Director, Central Practice Team, CEE, SEE & Eurasia
Telephone: + 36 70 371 3896
jennifer.paavola@grayling.com
Jennifer is considered an expert in all areas of brand communications and has helped some of the world’s biggest companies solve their biggest communications challenges. At Grayling she heads the central practice team for the CEE, SEE and Eurasia region, which works with the consultancy’s regional clients and also provides top-level strategic and creative consulting.
Jennifer’s experience includes the full array of global communications work as a consultant for some of the world's top brands. Her industry experience includes healthcare, energy, technology, professional services, finance and FMCG.
Before joining Grayling, Jennifer was the CEO of Pleon London (now Ketchum Pleon) and sat on the European Board of Directors. Her remit was to lead the diversification process in London when Pleon was created from Brodeur UK. Her work resulted in a services portfolio comprising PR, strategic communications and issues management and creative services/digital. Prior to her CEO role, Jennifer was a Director and lead on the Shell account for over 4 years. She was also Interim Vice President of External Affairs for Shell Renewables, Hydrogen and CO2.
When Jennifer first moved to the UK she helped establish a partnership-based services company that worked with the country’s leading legal and corporate finance houses in supplying the full-range of integrated expertise for early-stage technology companies and the venture capitalists behind them. Capabilities include strategic business planning and corporate finance. In the US Jennifer was the Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication for iGATE (NASDAQ: IGTE) a global IT services and outsourcing company. This included overseeing the communications teams for the holding company, venture capital arm and 12 subsidiaries located in the US, India and Europe. Jennifer started her career at Ketchum.
Bruce Shu
Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific
Telephone: +852 9132 2906
bruce.shu@grayling.com
Bruce has more than two decades of experience in Asia Pacific, as a strategic communications specialist and senior broadcast and print journalist.
Bruce has advised both blue-chip and emerging companies on a diverse range of issues, from general profile-raising to issues management and communication for capital-raising exercises. His clients have included 3i, the Airport Authority Hong Kong, AirAsia, Alibaba.com, Bank of America, British Airways, Chevron, China Life, China Telecom, Diageo, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Western Union.
He is a leading media and spoken communications trainer.
Before joining Grayling in 2008, Bruce worked for five years on the Hong Kong and China team of our sister company Citigate Dewe Rogerson, specialising in corporate communication for the financial services sector, M&A and IPO communication and investor relations.
Prior to that, Bruce was regional head of corporate communications and marketing for ABN AMRO. Earlier in his career, he helped to found CNBC Asia, where he was supervising producer in charge of the network’s 13 hours of live news programming each day. Bruce started his working life as a print journalist. He worked for five years as an editor and Beijing correspondent of the Agence France-Presse news agency and as an editor and travel writer for Condé Nast Publications.
A native of the United States, Bruce is fluent in English and Mandarin and studied economics at the University of Missouri.
Erik Knettel
Senior Managing Director
Telephone: +1 646 284 9415
erik.knettel@grayling.com
As Senior Managing Director at Grayling, with 20 years of experience in the fields of corporate and financial communications, Erik focuses on comprehensive communications programs for clients looking to expand their exposure in the global financial and media markets as well as enhance their valuation. Erik maintains extensive experience in strategic communications program design/implementation, branding and executive visibility, international cross border communications, initial public offerings, corporate events and transaction communications. Erik provides strategic consulting for clients ranging in life cycle from established multinational corporations to emerging growth companies as well as governmental agencies and private institutions. Prior to joining Grayling Erik held senior positions with ThomsonReuters including key roles within their communications consulting and capital markets practices. Prior to that Erik was a Senior Analyst with Kissell-Blake Inc. As a graduate of Pennsylvania State University’s Smeal College of Business Administration, Erik received a Bachelors degree in Business Management. As a member of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) Erik has been invited to speak at NIRI national and regional conferences on topics such as global financial communications, crisis management and investor relations.
Anne McBride
Chairman, Investor Relations, New York
Telephone: +1 646 284 9431
anne.mcbride@grayling.com
Anne McBride brings more than 30 years of experience in the capital markets to Grayling. She has responsibility for all Investor Relations activities undertaken in the US on behalf of both domestic and international clients.
Anne began her career as a Security Analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston and Morgan Stanley, focusing on special situations and undervalued stocks. She also brings more than eight years of in-house Investor Relations experience, having served in senior roles for UK-listed companies Saatchi and Saatchi Plc and Beazer Plc. Anne was the key driver behind both companies’ listings on the NYSE.
Some of Anne's clients have worked with her and the team for over 15 years and these span the worldwide globe. Clients like the leading utility in Brazil, Cemig, Russia's largest independent oil and gas producer, Lukoil, the leading technology and research candidate in alzheimer's, Prana Biotechnology and the US leading investment bank and pipe financial provider Rodman & Renshaw are examples of the her diverse experience and skills.
She has also worked for Sify Technologies, who she helped become the first Indian company to list on Nasdaq, and world-class Chinese companies such as Nepstar Chain Drugstore, Origin Agritech and China Yuchai International.
In addition to being on the board of The New York Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and a Member of the Strategic Advisory Committee of Exclusive Resorts, she consults regularly to international associations involved in Investor Relations, writes regular features and columns and recently spoke at the NYSE during Mexico Day on the Best Practices of Investor Relations.