PR News from AXIS Capital, Burson-Marsteller, Brad Pitt, and Matter Communications

AXIS Capital Brings PR Experts into Their Fold

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, a Bermuda insurance and reinsurance corporation just added a new CMO – Michiko Kurahashi, and Chief Communications Officer – Joe Cohen, to build integrated marketing communications in the company. They will add to the firm’s clients’, employees’, and partners’ engagement to deepen the AXIS brand.

Ms. Kurahashi will work with AXIS’s three business divisions: AXIS Accident and Health, AXIS Insurance, and AXIS Reinsurance guiding and facilitating marketing plans driving growth in their businesses. Mr. Cohen – formerly a top MWW PR executive – will lead strategies for communications throughout the company including refining AXIS Capital’s brand, enhancing internal interactions, and elevating their social and traditional media profile.

Patrick Ford of Burson-Marsteller named 2016 Diversity Champion

Burson-Marsteller (BM), a New York-based global PR and strategic communications firm, received recognition from the 2016 Diversity Distinction in PR Awards sponsored by the PR Council along with PRWeek. Individuals and organizations are recognized for helping with promotion, retention, and recruitment of diverse PR organizations and individuals. BM received honorable mention as best large PR firm diversity initiative and their worldwide chief client officer and vice chair, Patrick Ford, received honors as the Diversity Champion in the PR Agency category.

Brad Pitt Seeking Personal Publicist and Adding Family Law Attorney to his Team

After the news hit that Angelina Jolie had filed divorce papers to dissolve her 2014 marriage to Brad Pitt, the story started springing leaks and rumors everywhere. Allegations of verbal and physical (even sexual) abuse against his children as well as a possible affair hit the celebrity news shows almost immediately. By all accounts, Pitt was shocked by it all.

Since he and Jolie were said to have an agreement in place to work together if ever the marriage hit the skids, he was unprepared for the events of this past week. Now he is seeking a publicist to help him get through this PR crisis without destroying his relationships with his children in the future. Though many believe the leaks are coming from Jolie’s team, Pitt has remained unwilling to speak out against her to this point. He has retained Lance Spiegel, a family law attorney in Beverly Hills to handle the legal issues.

Mandy Mladenoff Named President of Matter Communications

Matter Communications based north of Boston in Newburyport with additional offices in Boston, Providence RI,  Boulder CO, and Portland OR, just announced the promotion of Mandy Mladenoff as their new president. Mladenoff has been serving as general manager for the past five years helping the company grow by 60 percent and from two offices to five. Before joining Matter, she spent 11 years in San Francisco guiding many Silicon Valley tech companies as Shift Communications’ managing director for that office.

Scott Signore, the CEO and founder of Matter Communications, said: “This is fantastic news for Matter. I’m fortunate to have the pleasure of working so closely with such an insightful business leader and professional communicator. Mandy is unquestionably the right person to help guide the agency nationally as we prepare for a robust 2017 and beyond.”