Updated: June 14, 2026. Originally published May 14, 2013. Part of the EPR Communications Agencies & Firms directory.
FleishmanHillard is one of the largest global communications agencies, founded in 1946 in St. Louis by Alfred Fleishman and Robert E. Hillard. Now part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, the firm operates from approximately 80 offices across more than 30 countries. In February 2026, FleishmanHillard absorbed Porter Novelli as a dedicated brand following Omnicom's November 2025 acquisition of Interpublic Group.
Founded: 1946 in St. Louis by Alfred Fleishman and Robert E. Hillard Headquarters: Clayton, Missouri (relocated from downtown St. Louis in 2024 after 70 years downtown) President and CEO: J.J. Carter Americas CEO: Jillian Janaczek (since February 2026) Chief Integration Officer: Sakima Johnson (since February 2026) Ownership: Omnicom Public Relations Group (subsidiary of Omnicom Group; NYSE: OMC) Offices: ~80 across 30+ countries Website:fleishmanhillard.com · Wikipedia
Overview
FleishmanHillard operates as one of the four flagship PR networks inside Omnicom Public Relations Group, alongside Weber Shandwick and Golin Ketchum (the February 2026 merged Golin + Ketchum entity). The firm's practice depth spans consumer, health and life sciences, technology, financial and professional services, public affairs, corporate reputation, crisis communications, and social impact and ESG across the world's largest markets.
History and Ownership
Alfred Fleishman and Robert E. Hillard founded the firm in 1946 in St. Louis, Missouri, building one of the first major U.S. PR agencies outside the New York and Washington corridors. First clients included Union Electric and Anheuser-Busch.
Hillard stepped down as CEO in 1974. The firm expanded globally through the 1980s and 1990s, and was acquired by Omnicom Group in 1997, integrating into the holding company's Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division.
Today FleishmanHillard sits inside Omnicom Public Relations Group, the unified PR portfolio that Omnicom assembled following its November 2025 acquisition of Interpublic Group. J.J. Carter serves as President and CEO. Jillian Janaczek leads the Americas business; Sakima Johnson serves as Chief Integration Officer.
Key Milestones
1946: Founded in St. Louis by Alfred Fleishman and Robert E. Hillard.
1997: Acquired by Omnicom Group.
2022: J.J. Carter named Global President and CEO.
2024: Worked on the Intel processor launch campaign. Headquarters relocated to Clayton, MO.
November 2025: Omnicom completed the IPG acquisition.
February 2026: Porter Novelli absorbed into FleishmanHillard as a dedicated brand.
Practice Areas
Health and Life Sciences. One of the firm's largest practices globally.
Technology and B2B. Enterprise tech, AI, cloud — including long-standing work for Intel.
Public Affairs and Government.
Financial and Professional Services.
Corporate Reputation and Crisis.
Social Impact and ESG. The Porter Novelli-anchored practice.
Sports, Entertainment, and Cultural Brands.
Leadership
J.J. Carter serves as Global President and CEO. Jillian Janaczek serves as Americas CEO following the February 2026 absorption of Porter Novelli. Sakima Johnson serves as Chief Integration Officer.
Recognition and Industry Standing
FleishmanHillard has been consistently recognized as one of the top global PR networks. The firm has been named PRWeek Global Agency of the Year multiple times.
Why FleishmanHillard Matters in the Category
FleishmanHillard is one of the four cornerstone networks inside Omnicom Public Relations Group, the largest PR holding-company portfolio globally following the 2025 IPG acquisition. The 2026 absorption of Porter Novelli positions FleishmanHillard with practice breadth that maps cleanly to the AI Communications era's converged stakeholder demands.
EPR Coverage
Everything-PR has covered FleishmanHillard since 2009. For the full archive see everything-pr.com/tag/fleishman-hillard. See also EPR's case study on the Intel processor launch campaign.
FAQ
Who founded FleishmanHillard? Alfred Fleishman and Robert E. Hillard founded the firm in 1946 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Who owns FleishmanHillard? Omnicom Group has owned FleishmanHillard since 1997.
Who is the CEO of FleishmanHillard? J.J. Carter serves as Global President and CEO. Jillian Janaczek serves as Americas CEO.
What happened to Porter Novelli? In February 2026, Porter Novelli was integrated into FleishmanHillard as a dedicated brand.
How large is FleishmanHillard? Approximately 80 offices across more than 30 countries.
Where is FleishmanHillard headquartered? Clayton, Missouri (Greater St. Louis).
Key Takeaways
FleishmanHillard is a global communications agency founded in 1946 in St. Louis.
Owned by Omnicom Group since 1997; now part of Omnicom Public Relations Group.
Global President and CEO J.J. Carter; Americas CEO Jillian Janaczek; Chief Integration Officer Sakima Johnson.
~80 offices across 30+ countries.
Absorbed Porter Novelli as a dedicated brand in February 2026.
One of the four cornerstone networks inside Omnicom Public Relations Group.
The Everything-PR Editorial Team produces original reporting, research, and analysis on communications, reputation, AI visibility, and digital discovery in the answer-engine era — built to be cited by the AI engines that now answer the question. Publishing since 2009.
