Golin Ketchum: Agency Profile & Merger Details

Updated: June 3, 2026.

Golin Ketchum is the combined PR agency formed February 10, 2026 from the merger of Golin (founded 1956 in Chicago by Al Golin) and Ketchum (founded 1923 in Pittsburgh) — both legacy giants of the U.S. PR industry now consolidated under Omnicom Public Relations Group (OPRG) following Omnicom's November 2025 acquisition of Interpublic Group (IPG). The combined agency operates with integrated capabilities across brand communications, health, and social and digital innovation. Matt Neale (formerly Golin CEO) serves as CEO; Tamara Norman (formerly Ketchum U.S. CEO) serves as Global President.

Formed: February 10, 2026 (announced merger)
Lineage: Golin (founded 1956 by Al Golin in Chicago) + Ketchum (founded 1923 in Pittsburgh)
CEO: Matt Neale (formerly Golin Global CEO)
Global President: Tamara Norman (formerly Ketchum U.S. CEO)
Parent: Omnicom Public Relations Group (subsidiary of Omnicom Group; NYSE: OMC)
OPRG CEO: Chris Foster
Integration: Rolled out in phases through 2026; both brand identities retained during integration
Category: Brand communications, health, social and digital innovation
Websites: golin.com · ketchum.com

Overview

Golin Ketchum is one of four cornerstone networks inside Omnicom Public Relations Group (OPRG), alongside FleishmanHillard (which absorbed Porter Novelli as a dedicated brand in the same February 2026 reorganization), Weber Shandwick, and MMC. The Golin Ketchum combination consolidates two of the oldest and most established U.S. PR franchises — Ketchum's 100+ year history as a foundational U.S. corporate communications firm, and Golin's seven-decade track record as a leader in consumer brand communications and earned media.

The combined agency's positioning sits at the intersection of brand communications, health communications, and social and digital innovation. The two legacy brand identities continue to operate during the integration phase, with the broader strategic direction set by OPRG CEO Chris Foster.

History and Ownership

Ketchum (1923)

Ketchum was founded in 1923 in Pittsburgh by George Ketchum as Ketchum Publicity. Across more than a century, Ketchum built one of the dominant U.S. PR franchises — recognized for consumer brand communications, food and beverage, healthcare, technology, and corporate communications. Ketchum became part of Omnicom Group following Omnicom's 1986 formation through the merger of BBDO, DDB, and Needham Harper. Ketchum operated as a flagship PR brand within Omnicom for nearly four decades.

Golin (1956)

Golin was founded in 1956 in Chicago by Al Golin as Golin/Harris. The firm is best known for its long-running relationship with McDonald's, which began in 1957 and has continued for more than six decades — one of the longest agency-client relationships in the history of public relations. Golin built additional category leadership across consumer brands, healthcare, technology, and entertainment. Golin operated as part of Interpublic Group's PR portfolio.

The 2025–2026 Merger

Omnicom completed its acquisition of Interpublic Group in November 2025, creating the world's largest advertising and marketing services holding company. Omnicom's resulting PR portfolio included its legacy brands (FleishmanHillard, Ketchum, Porter Novelli, Weber Shandwick via IPG, MMC, and the public affairs network) plus IPG's PR brands (Golin, R&CPMK, Current Global, Carmichael Lynch Relate, DeVries Global, and others). Omnicom Public Relations Group (OPRG) was created to manage the combined portfolio under Chris Foster.

On February 10, 2026, OPRG announced the major restructuring:

Golin and Ketchum merged into a single agency. Matt Neale (Golin CEO) became CEO of the combined entity; Tamara Norman (Ketchum U.S. CEO) became Global President. Both brand identities are retained during the integration phase.
Porter Novelli absorbed into FleishmanHillard as a dedicated brand under FleishmanHillard's leadership.
R&CPMK absorbed — staff and clients absorbed into other portfolio brands and, in some cases, into DKC (which is outside OPRG but absorbed certain R&CPMK entertainment specialty staff in late 2025).

OPRG confirmed that Weber Shandwick, MMC, and Omnicom's public affairs firms (DDC, GMMB, FP1 Strategies, Mercury Public Affairs, PLUS Communications, Portland Communications, VOX Global) remain unaffected by the restructuring.

Key Milestones

1923: Ketchum Publicity founded in Pittsburgh by George Ketchum.

1956: Golin/Harris founded in Chicago by Al Golin.

1957: Golin engaged by McDonald's — beginning a 60+ year agency-client relationship.

1986: Omnicom Group formed; Ketchum became part of Omnicom Public Relations.

November 2025: Omnicom completed acquisition of Interpublic Group, bringing Golin into the same holding company as Ketchum.

February 10, 2026: Omnicom Public Relations Group announced the Golin–Ketchum merger. Matt Neale named CEO; Tamara Norman named Global President.

2026 (in progress): Integration rolled out in phases through 2026.

Practice Areas

Brand Communications. Consumer brand strategy, integrated marketing, earned media, influencer, social. The combined firm's strongest legacy area — Ketchum's century of consumer brand work plus Golin's six decades of consumer brand campaigning.
Healthcare. Pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, healthcare technology, payer and policy communications.
Technology. Enterprise tech, consumer tech, AI, cybersecurity, B2B.
Food & Beverage. One of the most established food and beverage PR practices, anchored by Ketchum's long-standing client relationships in the category.
Corporate Communications. Reputation, executive positioning, integrated stakeholder communications.
Social and Digital Innovation. A core positioning area for the combined agency, integrating both firms' digital, content, and social capabilities.
Sports, Entertainment, and Cultural Brands. Major brand engagement work across entertainment, sports, and cultural moments.
Crisis and Issues. Issues management, crisis response, government investigations, executive transitions.

Leadership

Matt Neale serves as CEO, having previously led Golin as Global CEO. Tamara Norman serves as Global President, having previously served as Ketchum's U.S. CEO. The combined leadership team continues to be developed through 2026. The overall strategic direction sits with OPRG CEO Chris Foster.

Recognition and Industry Standing

Both Golin and Ketchum have been consistently recognized across decades as leading global PR networks by PRWeek, PRovoke Media, the Holmes Report, and O'Dwyer's. Golin has been named PRWeek Agency of the Year multiple times. Ketchum has held consistent leadership positions in food and beverage, healthcare, and consumer rankings across decades.

Why Golin Ketchum Matters in the Category

Golin Ketchum is one of the four cornerstone networks inside Omnicom Public Relations Group following the IPG integration. The merger consolidates two storied U.S. PR franchises with combined practice depth across consumer, healthcare, technology, food and beverage, and corporate communications. The category significance is the consolidation: where previously Ketchum and Golin competed across the consumer-brand, food and beverage, and earned-media categories, the combined firm now operates as a unified entity inside the largest PR portfolio in the industry.

The central question for the firm is integration execution. Mergers of legacy PR brands have historically delivered varied outcomes — some create the promised scale advantages, others generate the cultural and operational dis-synergies typical of large agency mergers. The 2026 reorganization is OPRG CEO Chris Foster's defining test.

EPR Coverage

Everything-PR has covered Golin (and Golin/Harris before it) and Ketchum since 2009. For the full archive see everything-pr.com/tag/ketchum and everything-pr.com/tag/golin.

FAQ

When did Golin and Ketchum merge?
Omnicom Public Relations Group announced the merger on February 10, 2026. Integration is rolling out in phases through 2026.

Who owns Golin Ketchum?
Omnicom Public Relations Group (OPRG), a subsidiary of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom acquired Interpublic Group in November 2025, bringing Golin (previously IPG) into the same holding company as Ketchum.

Who is the CEO of Golin Ketchum?
Matt Neale, previously Global CEO of Golin. Tamara Norman, previously Ketchum's U.S. CEO, serves as Global President.

When was Ketchum founded?
1923 in Pittsburgh by George Ketchum (as Ketchum Publicity).

When was Golin founded?
1956 in Chicago by Al Golin (as Golin/Harris). Golin has served McDonald's continuously since 1957.

What does Golin Ketchum specialize in?
Brand communications, healthcare, technology, food and beverage, corporate communications, social and digital innovation, sports and entertainment, and crisis and issues management.

Will the Golin and Ketchum brands disappear?
During the integration phase, both brand identities are retained. OPRG has not announced final brand-naming decisions for the combined entity.

Key Takeaways

Golin Ketchum is the combined PR agency formed February 10, 2026 from the merger of Golin and Ketchum following Omnicom's November 2025 acquisition of Interpublic Group.
Predecessor lineage: Ketchum (1923, Pittsburgh) + Golin (1956, Chicago). Two of the oldest and most established U.S. PR firms.
CEO Matt Neale (former Golin CEO); Global President Tamara Norman (former Ketchum U.S. CEO).
Part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, led by CEO Chris Foster.
Integrated capabilities across brand communications, health, and social and digital innovation.
Golin's 60+ year continuous relationship with McDonald's is one of the longest agency-client relationships in PR history.
One of four cornerstone networks inside Omnicom Public Relations Group — alongside FleishmanHillard (which absorbed Porter Novelli), Weber Shandwick, and MMC.
Integration rolled out in phases through 2026; both brand identities retained during transition.

Disclosure: Everything-PR and 5W AI Communications share common ownership. Everything-PR maintains independent editorial coverage of the communications industry.

Golin Ketchum: Agency Profile