Mercury Public Affairs: The Bipartisan Omnicom Firm

Edited on Jun 24, 2026.

Part of EPR's Public Affairs & Political Communications pillar · Part of Omnicom Public Relations Group (OPRG) · Related: Mercury, Walmart, and the Appearance of Evil · PR Agency Profiles Directory

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Mercury Public Affairs is a bipartisan public affairs, political consulting, and strategic communications firm founded in 1999 by Kirill Goncharenko and Kieran Mahoney in New York. Acquired by Omnicom Group in 2003 and now operates as part of Omnicom Public Relations Group (OPRG). Among the largest U.S. bipartisan public affairs firms with offices in the U.S., Mexico City, and London.

Overview

Mercury Public Affairs is a bipartisan consulting and political strategy firm working on campaigns and political communications. The firm covers advocacy advertisements, litigation communications, media relations, and public affairs simultaneously. Operating from offices in the U.S., Mexico City, and London, Mercury serves government bodies, political parties, advocacy groups, and major corporate clients.

Mercury sits inside EPR's Public Affairs & Political Communications pillar and is part of OPRG's public affairs portfolio—one of seven bipartisan and cross-partisan shops inside the Omnicom holding's political affairs network.

History and Ownership

Mercury was founded in 1999 in Manhattan by Kirill Goncharenko and Kieran Mahoney. In 2003, Omnicom Group acquired Mercury, integrating the firm into its public affairs portfolio. Mercury continues to operate as an Omnicom firm with bipartisan political and advocacy capabilities. As of 2026, Mercury is one of seven public affairs firms inside OPRG—alongside DDC Public Affairs, GMMB, FP1 Strategies, PLUS Communications, Portland Communications, and VOX Global.

Services

Mercury offers a range of public affairs and strategic communications services:

• Public opinion research
• International affairs
• Merger and acquisition management
• Strategic media relations
• Political consulting
• Grassroots building
• Advocacy advertising
• Litigation communications
• Crisis management

Leadership

Mercury operates as part of Omnicom Group's public affairs portfolio under the leadership of OPRG. The firm maintains bipartisan capabilities and partner-level leadership across U.S., Mexican, and UK markets.

Notable Clients and Engagements

Clients include Uber, Microsoft, Airbnb, and major political and government accounts. The firm has worked on campaigns and public affairs engagements at the federal, state, and international levels for two decades-plus.

Notable Controversies

In 2012, Walmart abruptly ended business with Mercury when a Mercury employee posed as a reporter during an event staged by Walmart critics. The retail giant had paid Mercury to lobby officials of Los Angeles City Hall regarding a proposed grocery in Chinatown. The fake reporter, outed by the employee group Warehouse Workers United, was Stephanie Harnett, a senior associate who attended a Walmart conference posing as a USC student journalist. Mercury Managing Director Becky Warren stated she "showed very poor judgment, and we dismissed her from our firm as these actions run contrary to our firm's culture and values." See EPR's full case file.

Key Takeaways

• Mercury Public Affairs is a bipartisan public affairs, political consulting, and strategic communications firm.
• Founded in 1999 by Kirill Goncharenko and Kieran Mahoney in Manhattan.
• Acquired by Omnicom Group in 2003; now part of OPRG.
• Part of OPRG's seven-firm public affairs portfolio.
• Offices in the U.S., Mexico City, and London.
• Clients include Uber, Microsoft, Airbnb, and major government accounts.
• Among the largest U.S. bipartisan public affairs firms.

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Related EPR Coverage

OPRG & Omnicom: Omnicom Public Relations Group (OPRG) · Omnicom Group · Omnicom Swallowed IPG

Public affairs peers: BerlinRosen · APCO Worldwide · Portland Communications

OPRG public affairs network: DDC Public Affairs · GMMB · FP1 Strategies · PLUS Communications · Portland Communications · VOX Global

Omnicom PR sister networks: FleishmanHillard · Weber Shandwick · Golin Ketchum · Porter Novelli · MMC

Mercury case files: Mercury, Walmart, and the Appearance of Evil · PR Holding Companies and Public Affairs

Adjacent: Public Affairs & Political Communications pillar · PR Agency Profiles Directory