Golin and Ketchum merge under new Golin Ketchum brand

Golin and Ketchum have merged to form a single global communications agency under the new Golin Ketchum brand, bringing together two established agency names under one operating model.

The combined agency will offer communications services across brand and consumer marketing, corporate affairs, health, technology, and food, agriculture and nutrition. It will be supported by a global network of offices, specialty practices and sector expertise.

Matt Neale has been named CEO of Golin Ketchum (pictured left), while Tamara Norman (pictured right) will serve as president.

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According to Neale, the merger was driven by an ambition to reshape the agency landscape by combining creative capabilities with category expertise.

“Golin Ketchum was formed with a clear ambition to shake up the agency landscape with unmatched creativity and category expertise,” said Neale. “For our clients, this means access to world-class resources and integrated capabilities. For our people, it means career-defining opportunities and the chance to do the best work of our lives, for the greatest clients in the world.”

The decision to retain both agency names reflects the legacy and market equity of Golin and Ketchum. 

“We considered a range of options, but ultimately the strongest choice was the simplest one,” he added. “Both Golin and Ketchum have built strong relationships with clients and strong reputations in the market. Bringing the names together honors that history while reflecting the future we’re building as one organization.”

The newly merged agency is built around three core beliefs: creating with bravery, leading with curiosity, and collaborating as a superpower. Its stated purpose is: “Together, we’ll do the best work of our lives and create change that matters.”

As part of the merger, Golin Ketchum has also unveiled a new visual identity. The brand palette is anchored by “Flare”, a vibrant red-orange shade intended to signal the energy and ambition behind the combined agency. The identity also includes a new mark, an abstraction of the agency’s initials, designed for use across practices, sectors and markets.

“This isn’t simply a brand launch. It’s our declaration of intent,” said Neale. “Golin Ketchum offers clients the most awarded creative team in the world underpinned by a relentless curiosity and the most effective AI and data solutions. We embody the apex of human creativity and next generation technology.”

Moving forward, Golin Ketchum will continue to operate through local market teams, supported by specialist practices and sector capabilities. Existing clients will continue to work with their current day-to-day teams, with the agency saying relationships will remain intact while clients gain access to broader talent, expertise and technology across the combined business.

The merger comes as Omnicom Public Relations has been reshaping its Asia Pacific leadership structure to drive closer collaboration and integrated client support across its agency brands in the region. In an internal memo previously sighted by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, OPR said the new structure, which takes effect from 1 July 2026, is designed to provide more seamless support to clients across markets and brands including Weber Shandwick, Golin and FleishmanHillard.

As part of the APAC restructure, OPR appointed market leaders across key markets, including Yisi Liu as president and general manager of China, Carol Yeung as president and general manager of Hong Kong, Ryo Kanayama as president and general manager of Japan, Elizabeth Bae as president and general manager of Korea, and Carolyn Ann Devanayagam as president and general manager of Singapore and head of advisory for OPR APAC.

The network also named regional growth and practice leads across client experience, business development, health, data and analytics, strategy, creative, corporate reputation and risk, and financial and professional services.

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