The appointments for North America, EMEA and APAC strengthen the newly launched Business & Society Futures group 

  • Peter Carson, Head of Corporate Affairs, North America
  • Greg Prager, Head of Corporate Affairs, EMEA
  • Carolyn Devanayagam, Head of Corporate Affairs, APAC

 NEW YORK – January 19, 2023 – Weber Shandwick, the global strategic communications and consulting firm, announced the appointment of three new dedicated regional corporate affairs experts who will lead the practice in their respective geographies as part of the new Business & Society Futures group: Peter Carson in North America, Greg Prager in EMEA and Carolyn Devanayagam in APAC.

“Peter, Greg and Carolyn are valued counselors to some of our largest clients. In their new roles, they will broaden the use of data and integrate a wider range of communications, public affairs and business strategy expertise to advise clients at the intersection of business strategy, stakeholder management and public positioning,” said Chris Deri, Weber Shandwick’s chief corporate affairs officer and president of The Weber Shandwick Collective’s Business & Society Futures group. “All three will ensure we have the talent, expertise and insights within each of their regions to protect and promote our client’s corporate reputation. Peter, Greg and Carolyn will also work alongside their global colleagues to provide our clients with integrated senior counsel across corporate positioning, public affairs and organizational effectiveness.”

Last month, The Weber Shandwick Collective (TWSC) launched Business & Society Futures to give clients a single point of access to the industry’s most accomplished strategists and counselors. The offering also provides differentiated AI and technology-backed insights and advisory expertise across communications, public affairs and management consulting. Business & Society Futures is comprised of the Collective’s advisory brands, Powell Tate, United Minds, KRC Research and Weber Shandwick’s Corporate Affairs and Public Affairs practices.

Peter Carson has helped build and grow Powell Tate, the public affairs unit of TWSC in Washington, DC – now a key part of Business & Society Futures. With more than 20 years in public affairs and communications, Carson started his career working for former Representative Christopher Shays (R-CT). Over the course of his time with the Congressman, he served in policy positions as Legislative Director and Chief of Staff.

“We’re committed to strengthening how we serve the changing needs of our clients amid the growing convergence of politics, business and culture – and the increasing importance our clients place on advisors who have a keen sense of how to navigate the overlap among all three,” said Carson. “Today, competing pressures from internal and external stakeholders present great challenges to executive decision making and brand reputation. This constant swirl of information makes it difficult to understand what matters – and what is simply noise. We’re eager and equipped to take on these new business challenges.”

Carolyn Devanayagam has worked in many key locations in Asia and the U.S. During her tenure with the firm, Devanayagam has worked on some of the firm’s largest corporate clients, bringing her global thinking to solve some of the toughest client challenges. Her expertise in managing multi-market clients and teams across regions has been vital for the firm’s regional and global clients.

“This expanded offering – and our connectivity as a group – brings an incredible opportunity for streamlined, strategic counsel when and where clients need it most,” said Devanayagam. “We’re now in the unique position to assess where client needs are shifting across the world and work with our colleagues to evaluate those regional market differences and sensitivities, bringing tools from one part to another.”

Greg Prager, currently Managing Director of Switzerland and Chair of the EMEA Corporate Practice, will focus full time on building and growing the Corporate Practice in the region. In his over 11 years with Weber Shandwick, Prager has led some of the company’s largest clients, built an international consulting hub in Geneva, overseen corporate work in EMEA and acted as senior counselor for CEOs and other C-suite executives. With diverse communications and reputation experience and his global perspective, Prager will open additional growth opportunities with EMEA headquartered companies and those with a significant regional presence.

“As a firm, we pride ourselves on being data driven and human led,” said Prager. “Clients are looking for intelligence and insights informed by data to define their narrative, combat misinformation and shape the environment in which they operate. We’re built for this.”

Read more about Business & Society Futures.

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About Weber Shandwick

Weber Shandwick is the in-culture communications agency. Led by world-class strategic and creative thinkers and activators, Weber Shandwick has won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry, including being named to Ad Age’s A-List in 2020 and Best Places to Work in 2019. Weber Shandwick was also awarded PR Agency of the Year by Campaign US in 2021, honored as PRovoke’s Global Agency of the Decade in 2020 and PRWeek’s Global Agency of the Year in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Cumulatively, the firm has earned more than 150 Lions at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Weber Shandwick also received Honorable Mention (and the only PR agency) on the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Global Marketing Agencies in 2021.  Part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), Weber Shandwick is the anchor agency within The Weber Shandwick Collective – the earned-first strategic communications and consulting network built for the convergence of society, media, policy and technology. For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com.