Rud Pedersen is a partner-led, independently owned European public affairs and strategic communications group founded in Sweden in 2003 by Morten Rud Pedersen, who is group CEO. The group says it has more than 600 people in 20 offices across 19 European countries. PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250 ranking lists it with 390 staff and $55.0 million in 2023 fee income, up 10.9 percent.
Updated: October 27, 2026
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What does Rud Pedersen do?
Rud Pedersen provides public affairs, government relations, regulatory affairs, communications and issue management at local, national and EU levels. The firm describes its approach as combining a deep understanding of political systems and influencing mechanisms with public relations expertise.
- Public affairs and government relations in 19 European countries.
- Strategic communications, including a Berlin communications unit launched in June 2025 for crisis, change and leadership positioning work.
- Executive search for public affairs and communications talent through its RP People brand.
Its public affairs focus contrasts with PR-led independents on Everything-PR such as Coyne PR and Padilla agency profile.
Who owns and leads Rud Pedersen?
Rud Pedersen Group is partner-led and independently owned, according to the firm's own news releases. Morten Rud Pedersen is founder, president and CEO of the group and, per a March 2025 release, chair of the board and majority owner of Rud Pedersen Sweden.
The same release says Rud Pedersen Sweden's partner group has eight members, including managing partner Mattias Zackrisson. Christian Ejvin Andersen joined as chief operating officer on August 18, 2025, after serving as COO and later CEO of the Danish law firm Bech-Bruun. Jacob Lund Nielsen became chief business officer in March 2024. Morten Rud Pedersen previously spent eight years as managing director of the European Trade Union Confederation in Brussels, according to his firm biography.
How big is Rud Pedersen?
PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250 lists Rud Pedersen with $55,000,000 in 2023 fee income and 390 staff, up 10.9 percent in US dollars from 2022. The ranking uses 2023 figures, a year older than the O'Dwyer's data on the U.S. profiles.
| Measure | Detail |
|---|
| Founded | 2003 in Sweden, by Morten Rud Pedersen (firm releases) |
| Offices | 20 offices in 19 European countries (March 2025 release) |
| Staff | 390 (PRovoke Media 2024 ranking) |
| 2023 fee income | $55,000,000 (PRovoke Media 2024 ranking) |
| Self-reported size, 2025 | More than 600 partners and employees |
| Ownership | Partner-led and independently owned |
The company's own headcount of more than 600 differs from PRovoke's figure. The ranking is on PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250.
What are Rud Pedersen's recent moves?
Rud Pedersen's recent moves are senior hires, a new Berlin communications unit, new offices and a series of 2022 stake purchases. The table lists them newest first, as announced by the firm.
| Date | Move |
|---|
| August 18, 2025 | Christian Ejvin Andersen joins as chief operating officer |
| June 17, 2025 | Launches a communications unit in Berlin led by Nicole Heyder and Sarah Hoare, who joined from Advice Partners |
| April 2, 2025 | Morten Rud Pedersen receives the SABRE Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement |
| March 24, 2025 | Kathrin Österlund becomes a partner in Rud Pedersen Sweden |
| March 2024 | Opens a Prague office; Jacob Lund Nielsen named chief business officer on March 13 |
| May 18, 2022 | Buys a minority stake in the Paris agency CNTVRS, its first French office |
| March 29, 2022 | Launches RP People in Brussels by acquiring the executive search firm Rtesian Resources |
| March 10, 2022 | Takes a 20 percent stake in the Latvian firms VA Communications and VA Government |
The firm's own announcements are collected on its Rud Pedersen news page. A 2026 post by the US-Ukraine Business Council reported that PRovoke Media named it European Agency of the Year for a third time, after 2023 and 2025.
How does Rud Pedersen compare with peers?
Rud Pedersen reports lower 2023 fee income than Ruder Finn, Kreab and H&H Group on PRovoke's table, and higher fee income than Padilla. All figures use the same source and year.
| Firm | Base | Ownership | 2023 fee income (PRovoke) | Staff (PRovoke) |
|---|
| Rud Pedersen | Sweden, with offices across Europe | Partner-led, independent | $55,000,000 | 390 |
| 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.
