ST. LOUIS, Feb. 15, 2007 — Ben Kincannon, who has served as general manager of Fleishman-Hillard’s Boston office since 1997, has been named to the new position of managing director of litigation communications in North America for the firm, Dave Senay, president and chief executive officer, announced today.
Kincannon, a leading litigation communications practitioner and senior vice president and senior partner with the firm, is charged with working closely with clients on litigation issues, and leading Fleishman-Hillard’s business growth in this area by developing new services, increasing the visibility of the firm’s capabilities, and assisting offices in building their litigation teams. He will work closely with Matthew Doering and Jack Dougherty, his fellow co-chairs of the litigation support practice group, and other general managers of Fleishman-Hillard’s offices.
“Ben is one of the most experienced litigation specialists in our industry,” Senay said. “Fleishman-Hillard has always had excellent capabilities in this area, and his appointment signals the continued strengthening of our team in this area that is so important to our clients.”
Kincannon’s replacement as general manager in Boston will be named in the near future.
Kincannon’s efforts will complement Communications Consulting Worldwide (CCW), the multidisciplinary global consulting business within Fleishman-Hillard that provides senior counsel on complex matters facing clients. He will continue to be based in Boston. In addition to his new responsibilities, he will continue to consult throughout the Fleishman-Hillard network on higher education, issues management, and corporate communications.
Kincannon previously was co-chair of the firm’s litigation support practice group. Over his career, he has worked with many corporations on high-visibility legal matters in healthcare, finance, manufacturing, insurance, higher and secondary education, technology, energy, agriculture, and other industries. He has also been a featured speaker at meetings of the Society of Competitive Intelligence, the American Bar Association, and various local bar associations.
Litigation communications is growing in complexity and importance to corporations worldwide. Companies today are faced with government investigations, administrative actions by federal and state regulatory authorities, and lawsuits filed by a broad array of plaintiffs. Each of these, if not appropriately handled, has the potential to damage reputation, deflate employee morale, and drive down share price. For these reasons, strategic communication that complements and supports a company’s legal strategy is essential.
Kincannon is a graduate of George Washington University, and earned a master’s degree in economics from Boston University.
Fleishman-Hillard Inc., one of the world’s leading public relations firms, has built its reputation by using strategic communications to deliver what its clients value most: meaningful, positive, and measurable impact on the performance of their organizations. The firm is widely recognized for excellent client service and a strong company culture founded on teamwork, integrity, and personal commitment. Based in St. Louis, the firm operates throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia, and South Africa through its 80 owned offices. For more information, visit the Fleishman-Hillard Web site at www.fleishman.com.
Fleishman-Hillard is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom is a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom’s branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, direct and promotional marketing, public relations, and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
