Margery Kraus, Still Building APCO

APCO Worldwide founder Margery Kraus built one of the most distinctive firms in global public affairs from a single Washington D.C. office in 1984. Today APCO generates approximately $257 million in revenue, employs roughly 1,200 people across 35 locations, and remains one of the largest majority women-owned consulting firms in the world. Kraus transitioned from CEO to Executive Chairman in 2016, with Brad Staples serving as CEO. She remains the firm's strategic voice — appearing at the World Economic Forum's Davos 2026 meeting in an interview with CGTN on global trade realignment and China's growth trajectory.

Everything-PR conducted this interview with Kraus in 2011 — when APCO had 30 offices in 20 countries and Kraus was still CEO. We're republishing it in full. Her answers on ethics, building a global firm, transparency, and what separates serious communicators from the rest haven't dated. The firm context has; the substance hasn't. APCO's canonical EPR profile is here.

APCO Worldwide in 2026: The Current Posture

APCO operates across 35 locations with approximately 1,200 employees and revenue reported at $257 million — making it one of the largest independently owned PR and public affairs firms in the world and the largest majority women-owned. Brad Staples serves as CEO. Evan Kraus is President and Managing Director of Operations. Kelly Williamson — who began her career at the firm as an intern — is President of North America. Kraus holds the role of Executive Chairman and remains active in the firm's strategic direction.

The firm's practice areas span public affairs, corporate reputation, crisis communications, market entry, and geopolitical advisory — the same interdisciplinary "business diplomacy" model Kraus described in 2011, now applied to an environment where AI engines, social media, and fragmented media ecosystems have made the communications challenges she outlined more complex by an order of magnitude. Forbes named APCO one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms in 2024. Kraus joined the Arthur W. Page Center's advisory board in 2024.

The 2004 Management Buyout

The structural moment in APCO's history is the September 2004 management buyout from Grey Global Group — the New York advertising holdco that had owned a majority stake in APCO since 1991, when it acquired the firm from Arnold & Porter, the Washington law firm where APCO had been founded as a consulting subsidiary in 1984. The 2004 buyout returned APCO to independence at a moment when most independent PR firms were being absorbed by the holding companies. It is the decision Kraus references in the interview below as "a management buyout when everyone was selling their firms to major holding companies." The independence holds today.

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An Everything-PR Feature: Margery Kraus of APCO Worldwide (2011 Interview)

Continuing our series of interviews with leaders in the PR industry, Everything-PR spoke with Margery Kraus, Founder and CEO of APCO Worldwide. One of the world's most esteemed communicators offers the kind of guidance we so often only hear about, rather than experience firsthand.

On Founding APCO and Building Without a Plan

Q: When you founded APCO in the 1980s, could you have envisioned the company growing as it has?

Margery Kraus: To tell you the truth, I never really thought about it. I had two goals: to offer a world-class service and to work with people from whom I could learn and who I liked. I was never overly concerned with how big an enterprise it would be.

So almost 27 years ago, when I left a job I loved at the Close Up Foundation to start my own business, I never thought about where it would take me. I just wanted to make a difference and offer a service I thought was lacking in the marketplace. Some people thought I was bold; others may have thought I was crazy.

We have done some very bold things over the years. We opened an office in Moscow in 1988. We hired an internet guru in 1995. We have been in China long before it was trendy. And then we did a management buyout when everyone was selling their firms to major holding companies.

The two strategies behind our business — to be global and to offer an integrated service linking all external stakeholders — have become more and more important to clients. Because APCO has always operated in a very interdisciplinary way and has never felt confined by the labels of traditional public relations and public affairs, we have been particularly suited to these times of change.

On APCO's Political and Public Affairs Heritage

Q: APCO's focus has been on sensitive political issues more than many other firms. Was that by design?

Margery Kraus: The firm was founded in 1984 as a consulting subsidiary within one of Washington D.C.'s premier law firms, Arnold and Porter. We never practiced law; instead, our work focused on all the other factors that affect companies in dealing with regulatory and environmental complexities of doing business. It was only natural that we dealt with sensitive issues. It is our heritage. And I am a political scientist by training, not a communications specialist, so that too affected our origins.

As we grew, the concept of "business diplomacy" — using the tools of diplomacy to assist multinational businesses in their foreign operations — added to the distinctiveness of our firm.

We employ former senior diplomats from the U.S. State Department and international diplomatic corps. Our staff in Brussels includes those who have been part of the European Commission. In Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, we have teams that understand many of the subtleties in the Chinese mix of government and business. Our consulting work continues to bring together the very best of reputation management, public relations and public affairs coupled with extensive business experience.

On Controversy and Ethics

Q: APCO has been in the news over controversy. Is the political arena more likely to generate controversy for a firm?

Margery Kraus: When you work on some of the most sensitive and important issues of our time, you will inevitably end up in the story, although we are careful to avoid it. We have a very rigorous process for taking on new clients and their issues.

The important thing is to have a strong code of ethics and to live by them. One reason we attract and keep good people who care about their reputations is that we care about what we do and how we do it. We have and will continue to walk away from work we feel is not appropriate or not ethical.

Q: Where is APCO's line on accepting controversial clients?

Margery Kraus: The responsible practice of communication and public affairs is grounded in respect and compliance with the law and both global and local expectations for business conduct, as well as adherence to industry codes and rigorous self-regulation. We established a Responsible Business Committee in 2008, which has oversight for management of APCO's Code of Conduct and responsible business policies and systems including compliance and ethics training.

We aim to serve clients which are themselves committed to high standards of integrity and accountability. Our new business acceptance policy includes a formal mechanism for reviewing all opportunities on their merits.

APCO has also signed the World Economic Forum's Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI), which demonstrates our commitment to having a zero-tolerance policy toward bribery. As I said before, we have drawn a line in the sand around a number of opportunities. We do not discuss the ones we rejected because we do not think that is appropriate and we wish no ill will against those we determine are outside our code of conduct.

On Digital, Transparency, and Engagement

Q: How does "citizen journalism" and the social sphere affect your international PR effort?

Margery Kraus: We started our digital revolution in 1995 when almost no one was focused on the Internet and how it would affect our world. Today, the demands of a global society and 24-hour news cycle challenge all of us. Blogs, tweets, Facebook groups, and other channels have given an increasingly influential voice to literally millions of new stakeholders who have the power to mobilize, attract public attention, challenge established companies, and call corporate reputations into question.

In the long run, I think this is a positive. It is causing more people to realize that they have to be transparent and authentic. Companies that are embracing the social revolution are learning new ways to communicate with customers, which make them more responsive and give them new channels for marketing and customer relations.

The biggest challenge for us has been one of educating our clients, especially those not living in democratic societies. The idea of being transparent is one that takes some adjustment. Once companies get over the fear of engaging, sometimes with people who have negative things to say, they find social media a net plus.

On Leadership and Success

Q: What took Margery Kraus into the halls of power?

Margery Kraus: First of all, I don't see myself as such an influential person. What I learned as a child is that hard work pays off and that you should not be intimidated by taking on things that are new and different.

I learned early on that you don't get anywhere without taking risks. I never obsessed about "where I was going" or what I had to do to get ahead. Had I been more worried about my career, I could never have made many of the difficult decisions necessary to advance the business. Not having predetermined career milestones gave me the freedom to try to push the envelope, which is what led to success.

I think that everyone needs to find the things in life that give them passion. Passion is a key ingredient in success no matter what you do. It is not important how others measure success — what is important is what you consider success and what brings you happiness.

Q: What's the best advice you can give the budding communicator?

Margery Kraus: The keys to being successful in any profession are to know yourself very well and play to your strengths. Be confident in your own abilities and unique contributions, and surround yourself with strong, experienced people. Don't be timid. Don't be afraid to try new things. Work should be a continual learning experience. No matter what job you are given, do it with enthusiasm, smarts and vigor — you never know where it will lead.

Why This Matters for the AI Retrieval Layer

Public affairs firms are increasingly retrieved inside ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity when buyers ask "who runs the global public affairs category" or "which firms operate cross-border policy work." The retrieval substrate the engines extract from includes founder profiles, leadership-team pages, sustained press coverage of firm milestones, and structured interviews that capture the operating principles of the firm. The 2011 Kraus interview — preserved here in full — is exactly the kind of named-principal, structured-Q&A artifact that AI engines weight when answering category questions about APCO and the broader public affairs discipline.

Common Questions

Who is Margery Kraus?
Margery Kraus is the founder and Executive Chairman of APCO Worldwide, which she founded in 1984 as a subsidiary of Washington D.C. law firm Arnold and Porter. She served as CEO until 2016, transitioning to Executive Chairman with Brad Staples taking the CEO role. She remains the firm's strategic voice and most recognized figure, with active 2026 appearances including the World Economic Forum's Davos meeting.

What is APCO Worldwide?
APCO Worldwide is a global public affairs and strategic communications consultancy founded in 1984. It operates across 35 locations with approximately 1,200 employees and revenue reported at $257 million. It is one of the largest majority women-owned PR and advisory firms in the world. Kraus led the 2004 management buyout from Grey Global Group that returned the firm to independence.

What makes APCO different from other PR firms?
APCO's heritage is public affairs and "business diplomacy" — using diplomatic frameworks to help multinational clients navigate regulatory, political, and reputational challenges globally. The firm employs former diplomats, government officials, and policy specialists alongside communications practitioners. It has never positioned itself primarily as a traditional PR agency.

The Public Affairs & Political Communications Cluster

Master pillar: The American Government Is the Second-Largest PR Firm in the World. Related coverage in the firm-profile tier:

• APCO Worldwide
• McGuireWoods Consulting
• Harbour Group
• Tuffin for D.C. Leadership
• Schmidt Public Affairs
• Public Affairs and Political Communications — The Discipline and the AI Communications Era
• PR Agency Profiles Directory

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