FD, an international strategic communications firm based in New York and London, has acquired Element Agency, a Vancouver-based company that specializes in sustainability, advocacy and corporate social responsibility.
The agency will now be known as FD Element.
Don Millar, who founded the agency in 2003, moves from president to CEO, while partner and former COO Grant Draper becomes president.
It will be FD’s first Canadian office and its 22nd overall. FD has around 700 employees worldwide.
“We will be working primarily on issue advocacy and sustainability,” said Millar. “The interesting thing to me is that this is a large business consultancy and the idea that they are interested in a sustainability firm tells you that despite the economic situation, sustainability is here to stay.”
The agency’s clients include AIG, EPCOR, Labatt, the Canadian Boreal Initiative, the David Suzuki Foundation, the Ontario Liberal Party and Vancouver’s newly-elected mayor, Gregor Robertson.
“The addition of FD Element serves as a valuable extension of FD’s footprint into Canada, strengthening our presence throughout the Americas,” said Ed Reilly, CEO of FD Americas in a news release.
Millar said FD is organized around specialist teams and the Vancouver office will become the sustainability specialist team and one of the issue-advocacy teams.
While the agency will continue working with non-governmental organizations, universities and political candidates across North America, the acquisition will also allow the company to offer more depth and take on more “top shelf” corporate clients. “FD has a really strong opinion research unit, a strong digital in house agency and really good minds,” said Millar.
