Kreab is a global public affairs and strategic communications consultancy founded in Stockholm in 1970 by Peje Emilsson, who remains executive chairman. Kreab says it has about 500 consultants of 40 nationalities and offices in 30 countries. PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250 ranking lists it with 404 staff and $58.4 million in 2023 fee income. In December 2025 it acquired the Portuguese consultancy JLM&A.
Updated: October 27, 2026
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What does Kreab do?
Kreab advises companies, governments and organizations on public affairs, corporate communications and financial communications. Its December 2025 release says it advises on issues of strategic importance in business, finance and politics, and its Brussels directory entry lists practices in financial services, sustainability, digital policy, trade and competition.
- Public affairs and lobbying, including policy analysis and senior counsel to boards.
- Financial communications for mergers, IPOs and investor relations.
- Corporate reputation and crisis communications.
Kreab's Brussels office, open since 1992, has around 60 public affairs consultants and senior advisors, according to the Best in Brussels 2026/27 directory. Its public affairs focus sets it apart from PR-led independents on Everything-PR such as Coyne PR and Padilla agency profile.
Who owns and leads Kreab?
Kreab is owned by its founder and executive chairman, Peje Emilsson, according to the firm's own entry in the Best in Brussels 2026/27 directory, which states that it is fully owned by its founder and executive chairman. An earlier edition of the same directory said the firm was majority owned by the founder, with partners holding a minority.
Emilsson co-founded the firm in 1970 as Kreativ Information AB, per Dealroom, and is quoted as Kreab Worldwide's founder in its December 2025 release. In 2009 Kreab merged with the Omnicom-owned consultancy Gavin Anderson, with Emilsson telling Realtid he would swap part of his stake in Kreab for ownership in the new company.
How big is Kreab?
PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250 lists Kreab with $58,400,000 in 2023 fee income and 404 staff, up 3.7 percent from 2022. PRovoke notes that Kreab's fee income was revised in May 2024. The ranking uses 2023 figures, a year older than the O'Dwyer's data on the U.S. profiles.
| Measure | Detail |
|---|
| Founded | 1970, in Stockholm, Sweden |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden (PRovoke lists UK and Sweden) |
| Staff | 404 (PRovoke Media 2024 ranking) |
| 2023 fee income | $58,400,000 (PRovoke Media 2024 ranking) |
| Self-reported size, December 2025 | About 500 consultants, 40 nationalities, offices in 30 countries |
| Ownership | Owned by its founder and executive chairman, per its Brussels directory entry |
The company's own staff count differs from PRovoke's. The ranking is on PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250.
What are Kreab's recent moves?
Kreab's documented recent moves are the December 2025 acquisition of JLM&A, a 2024 collaboration with that firm and the 2009 Gavin Anderson merger. The table lists them newest first.
| Date | Move |
|---|
| December 17, 2025 | Acquires the JLM&A Group, a Portuguese communication and public affairs consultancy with offices in Lisbon, Porto, Angola and Mozambique and about 50 consultants |
| 2024 | Begins collaborating with JLM&A on projects and shared clients in Spain, Portugal, London and Brussels |
| 2009 | Merges with Gavin Anderson & Co (Realtid; Dealroom) |
Under the JLM&A deal, founder João Líbano Monteiro becomes chair of Kreab Portugal, Eugenio Martínez Bravo is vice chair and Vítor Cunha stays CEO, per the Kreab press release on the JLM&A acquisition.
How does Kreab compare with peers?
Kreab reports lower 2023 fee income than Ruder Finn and H&H Group, and higher than Padilla and Coyne PR, on PRovoke's table. All figures use the same source and year.
| Firm | Base | Ownership | 2023 fee income (PRovoke) | Staff (PRovoke) |
|---|
| Kreab | Stockholm, Sweden | Founder-owned | $58,400,000 | 404 |
| H&H Group | Stockholm, Sweden | Executive and founder-owned (2014 report) | $70,000,000 | 579 |
| Ruder Finn | New York, NY | Independent | $175,500,000 | 1,220 |
| Padilla agency profile | Minneapolis, MN | Owned by Avenir Global | $45,849,220 | 184 |
For every firm profiled on the site, see the PR firms directory.
