Do Edelman Public Relations Offices Exist Worldwide?

Edelman public relations operates more than 60 offices across six continents, making it the largest independent PR firm globally by revenue and reach. The firm employs approximately 6,000 communications professionals who serve clients in major markets throughout North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.

Geographic Distribution of Edelman Offices

Edelman’s global network extends across every major business region. The firm maintains a strong presence in North America with 18 offices between the United States and Canada. In the EMEA region, Edelman operates 17 wholly-owned offices spanning from London and Amsterdam to Dubai and Johannesburg. Asia-Pacific represents another significant footprint with operations in 13 countries, while Latin America includes offices in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia.

This international structure allows Edelman to deliver localized expertise while maintaining global coordination. Each regional hub connects to the broader network, enabling cross-border campaigns and consistent service delivery for multinational clients.

North American Operations

The United States serves as Edelman’s primary base, with 13 offices distributed across key metropolitan areas. New York City houses the global headquarters, established in 1960 after the firm’s founding in Chicago. Chicago remains a major operations center alongside substantial offices in Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley.

Regional offices in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Portland, Sacramento, and Seattle provide geographic coverage across the country. This distribution reflects both client concentration patterns and the firm’s strategy to maintain proximity to major industries—technology in Silicon Valley, entertainment in Los Angeles, government relations in Washington, and financial services in New York.

Canada operates five offices under Edelman’s international structure. Toronto and Montreal serve as the primary hubs, with additional presence in Vancouver. These offices reported to Ed Williams, who oversees all international operations outside the US as President for International.

European, Middle Eastern, and African Presence

EMEA represents Edelman’s second-largest regional operation. The UK serves as the regional anchor, with London functioning as the EMEA headquarters and accounting for roughly half the region’s total revenue. Ruth Warder leads UK operations while also serving as EMEA Brand Chair.

Continental Europe includes offices in Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Dublin, and several smaller markets. Germany maintains three offices (Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg) under CEO Nils Giese, while Spain operates locations in both Madrid and Barcelona.

The Middle East includes offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, both led by CEO Omar Qirem. Johannesburg represents Edelman’s African presence under CEO Karena Crerar. This EMEA network totals approximately 1,200 employees across 17 offices in 12 markets.

AJ Hesselink serves as President and CEO for EMEA, a role reflecting the region’s strategic importance. Under his leadership, the region pursued a three-year organizational design effort to increase integration across offices and service lines.

Asia-Pacific Network

Asia-Pacific encompasses Edelman’s most geographically diverse regional operation. The firm maintains approximately 1,100 employees across 13 countries, with offices spanning from India to Australia and Japan to Southeast Asia.

Greater China operates offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, employing around 300 people. India maintains similar scale with offices in Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi (Gurugram), Chennai, and Hyderabad. These two markets represent Edelman’s largest APAC footprints.

Southeast Asia includes Singapore, Thailand (Bangkok), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia (Jakarta), and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City). North Asia operations include South Korea (Seoul) and Japan (Tokyo). Australia rounds out the region with offices in Melbourne and Sydney.

Rakesh Thukral assumed the role of APAC CEO in November 2024, succeeding Warren Fernandez. Thukral previously served as APAC Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of India, bringing extensive experience in helping global companies enter the Indian market and supporting Indian businesses with international expansion.

Hong Kong serves as the APAC regional hub, with the office located in one of the city’s tallest skyscrapers overlooking Victoria Harbor. This strategic positioning places Edelman within easy reach of many multinational headquarters operating in the region.

Latin American Footprint

Latin America operates with a more concentrated office structure than other regions. Brazil maintains the largest presence with offices in both São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro under General Manager Ana Julião. Mexico City serves as another major hub, led by Mariana Sanz who also serves as CEO for the entire Latin America region.

Buenos Aires (Argentina), Bogotá (Colombia), and Lima (Peru) complete the wholly-owned office network. Additional markets receive coverage through affiliated partner firms, extending Edelman’s reach to Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and other smaller markets.

This regional structure aligns with economic patterns in Latin America, where Brazil and Mexico dominate in terms of GDP and corporate activity. The affiliate model allows Edelman to maintain presence in secondary markets without the overhead of full office operations.

Specialized Units Within the Global Network

Beyond geographic offices, Edelman operates specialized business units that span multiple regions. Edelman Global Advisory (EGA) focuses on public affairs, government relations, and crisis management. EGA maintains separate teams in Washington DC, Brussels, Beijing, London, Paris, and other political capitals, with over 200 professionals working on regulatory and policy matters.

Edelman Data and Intelligence operates as a semi-independent research arm with more than 450 experts across 25 offices in 15 countries. This unit produces the annual Edelman Trust Barometer, which surveys approximately 32,000 people in 28 countries to measure trust in institutions. The 2024 Trust Barometer became widely cited in publications including the New York Times, Financial Times, and The Economist.

Edelman Smithfield serves as the firm’s financial communications specialist, with dedicated teams in London, New York, Hong Kong, and Singapore. This boutique maintains deep expertise in capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and financial services communications while accessing the broader Edelman network for integrated campaigns.

Infrastructure Supporting Global Operations

The office network operates through a matrix structure that balances geographic leadership with global client teams and functional specialties. Regional CEOs manage local operations, P&L responsibility, and talent development within their territories. Simultaneously, global client relationship managers coordinate service delivery for multinational accounts across multiple offices.

Ed Williams, as International President, oversees APAC, EMEA, Canada, and Latin America operations—essentially everything outside the US market. Kirsty Graham serves as US CEO, managing the domestic operation separately. This structure reflects the US market’s size relative to international operations.

Matthew Harrington holds the role of Global President and COO, providing operational oversight across all regions. Richard Edelman continues as CEO and has led the firm since 1996, maintaining the family ownership structure established by his father Daniel Edelman in 1952.

Technology infrastructure connects the global network through shared systems for knowledge management, client tracking, and collaboration. This enables teams to quickly assemble cross-regional expertise for client needs while maintaining consistent processes and quality standards.

Recent Global Developments

Edelman announced plans in late 2024 to reduce headcount by 330 positions worldwide as part of a restructuring effort. The cuts affected primarily US operations, with approximately 15% occurring in Asia. This adjustment reflected broader changes in the PR industry following several years of rapid growth.

The firm has pursued strategic expansion in emerging markets. In 2013, Edelman established The Daniel J. Edelman China Group to strengthen its Greater China presence. The same year, it expanded into South Africa by acquiring Baird’s Renaissance, which had previously operated as an affiliate for 20 years.

Leadership changes in late 2024 signaled the firm’s continued evolution. Rakesh Thukral’s appointment as APAC CEO brought a leader with strong credentials in both Indian market expertise and cross-border business development. His selection underscored the region’s strategic importance as China, India, and Southeast Asian markets continue developing.

Comparing Edelman to Other Global PR Firms

Among global PR firms, Edelman’s 60+ office network places it among the top tier but not necessarily the largest by office count. Weber Shandwick operates in over 80 countries, while FleishmanHillard maintains more than 80 offices across 30 countries. Ketchum claims presence in over 70 countries through a combination of owned offices and affiliates.

Where Edelman distinguishes itself is in being the largest independent firm—not owned by a holding company like Omnicom, WPP, or Interpublic. This independence, maintained since 1952, allows the firm to reinvest profits directly into capabilities and expansion rather than distributing to shareholders. The family ownership structure under Richard Edelman provides continuity and long-term strategic thinking.

By revenue, Edelman ranks as the world’s largest PR firm. PRovoke Media’s 2024 Global PR Agency Rankings placed Edelman at number one, followed by Weber Shandwick and Burson (formed from the merger of BCW and Hill+Knowlton). This revenue leadership, combined with the office network, positions Edelman as the sector’s dominant independent player.

How Clients Experience the Global Network

For multinational clients, Edelman’s global structure enables coordinated campaigns across markets while respecting local nuances. A technology company launching a product simultaneously in North America, Europe, and Asia can work with a single global account team that coordinates local execution through regional offices.

The firm organizes client service through industry verticals (technology, healthcare, consumer goods, financial services) that span geographies. A healthcare client in New York can access Edelman’s health practice expertise from London, Singapore, or São Paulo as needed. This matrix approach prevents clients from encountering inconsistent capabilities across regions.

Regional offices maintain autonomy in hiring, operations, and client development within their markets. This balance between global coordination and local empowerment aims to combine scale advantages with entrepreneurial responsiveness. The structure has evolved over seven decades as Edelman expanded from its Chicago base into a genuinely multinational operation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which countries have the most Edelman offices?

The United States leads with 13 offices spanning major metropolitan areas from New York to Silicon Valley. China and India each maintain five offices across multiple cities. Germany operates three offices while Brazil has two locations.

Does Edelman operate offices in Africa?

Edelman maintains one wholly-owned office in Johannesburg, South Africa, led by CEO Karena Crerar. The South African operation came through the 2013 acquisition of Baird’s Renaissance.

How does Edelman’s office network compare to agency holding companies?

Holding company networks like Omnicom’s Porter Novelli or WPP’s Hill+Knowlton may have more total offices globally. However, Edelman ranks as the single largest independent PR firm by both revenue and international presence, operating more than 60 offices without parent company ownership.

Are all Edelman offices wholly-owned or does it use affiliates?

Edelman operates a hybrid model. Major markets utilize wholly-owned offices with full integration into the network. Secondary markets in Latin America, Eastern Europe, and parts of Africa work through affiliated partners that carry the Edelman name and maintain quality standards but operate with more independence.

Offices carry Edelman branding and participate in knowledge sharing and client referrals. The affiliate model provides market coverage in locations where client demand doesn’t justify full office infrastructure.