Ruder Finn acquires Touchdown!
By James Carter, CEO, Touchdown PR
Getting straight to the point. I am absolutely delighted. Made up. Chuffed. Touchdown has been acquired by one of the largest and most successful global PR firms out there – Ruder Finn!
I have known and admired Ruder Finn throughout my career. It’s one of the great global agency brands. I have also loved global PR which is why I jumped at the chance to move to the U.S. as a twenty-something Senior Account Executive to support international technology brands on behalf of Shandwick and Golin.
A little later, when I set up Touchdown, the mission from day one was to deliver PR at global scale, implementing what I had learned at these agencies. Now, working alongside the team at Ruder Finn, we get to further accelerate our growth and success.
Our decision to join the Ruder Finn family was easier than I expected it to be, on both a practical and personal basis.
Practically, working closely alongside the global team at Ruder Finn allows us to offer a more complete and integrated set of service offerings to our clients. It also allows us to reach new markets where we are yet to be fully established. Offering more capabilities in more markets is an important and natural next step in the evolution of Touchdown.
On a personal level, and as we entered discussions with several prospective buyers, there was a particularly clear and close alignment of values when we met Kathy Bloomgarden and her leadership team. This was especially true around our people culture, our global ambitions and how to manage international growth successfully. A strong culture fit was always going to be an essential ingredient in this deal.
In terms of what happens next? Well, it’s very much business as usual. The Touchdown brand will continue and I will remain as CEO and keep working with my entire team to build a brilliant business. Many of you reading this will know my colleagues, especially my team leaders who provided the foundations for Touchdown’s ongoing success. Together we have become a truly exceptional team, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for us all.
And while it is business as usual, there will be some positive and exciting changes to come.
As soon as we can, we plan to leverage the combined proposition of both organisations to deliver an even better, broader and more integrated experience for those brilliant customers who have trusted us over the years. We will continue to support and advise you as we have for the past sixteen years. Thank you!
And for our people? We want to keep making Touchdown one of the greatest places to work as well as a supportive and empowering place to develop your career. Touchdown has created a proud presence in the tech PR sector, from attending various industry award ceremonies including the PR Daily Media Relations Awards, to standing for the values of inclusivity and diversity in the PR world. The employee experience being part of Ruder Finn will make a positive impact here too.
Meanwhile, we continue to seek talented individuals who want to build their career in a supportive and positive workplace, and we’re welcoming new applications at most levels.
For prospective customers wanting to understand more about what the combined Touchdown and Ruder Finn team can do for them, we are ready to have that conversation too.
I’m excited about what lies ahead, and I look forward to seeing my team continue to make a big difference for their clients with Touchdown, a Ruder Finn company!
