Related: PR Firms Directory · Edelman: PR Firm Profile · Public Affairs & Government · Government Relations & Lobbying
Updated: June 3, 2026. Originally published October 5, 2015.
U.S. Department of Justice FARA filings from September 2015 documented that Edelman — then the world's largest independent public relations agency — and the Podesta Group, a Washington lobbying firm, had been retained by Saudi Arabian interests for U.S. media and government engagement.
The two engagements
Edelman. The September 2015 FARA filing detailed a $16,500 engagement on behalf of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority to "engage with opinion influencers, establish media engagement opportunities for principal, and assist in opinion editorial placement." Edelman had longer-running representation of the Saudi Embassy, framed as enhancing the kingdom's interests at the UN and among UN observers.
Podesta Group. The Podesta Group — founded in 1987 by Tony Podesta, whose brother John Podesta would chair the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign — was retained for a $200,000 engagement with the Center for Studies and Media Affairs at the Saudi Royal Court. The firm specialized in global advocacy and bipartisan government relations; Bloomberg Businessweek had previously described it as "the Beltway Blackbelt." Other Podesta Group clients at the time included the U.S. Aviation Industry, PGA of America, American Steelworkers, and the government of Puerto Rico.
The longer history of Saudi PR engagements
Saudi Arabia has retained American PR and lobbying counsel continuously for more than four decades. Firms with documented Saudi government work include Hill+Knowlton (since 1982), Qorvis Communications, and the law firm DLA Piper. The Edelman and Podesta filings disclosed in September 2015 were one episode in a much longer pattern of sovereign engagement of U.S. communications and policy infrastructure. The full Vision 2030-era picture of that engagement is documented in EPR's Saudi Arabia U.S. Influence Machine.
Why FARA matters more in 2026
The Foreign Agents Registration Act has been the single most reliable source of public information on sovereign and foreign-government PR engagements since 1938. In 2015, FARA filings surfaced primarily through trade press reporting and dedicated transparency outlets. In 2026, those same filings — along with the surrounding press coverage — are indexed and surfaced by AI engines. A buyer running a query about which agencies represent which sovereigns now gets an aggregated answer in seconds.
The practical implication for the communications industry: generative engine optimization applies in both directions. AI engines are now a brand-building surface for agencies, and they are also a permanent record of every disclosed engagement. The arithmetic of representing controversial sovereigns is materially different when every filing is one prompt away from prospective clients, journalists, and competitors. The diplomatic backdrop — Khashoggi, the Biden fist bump, the Beijing-brokered Iran rapprochement — is mapped in EPR's Charm Offensive profile of MBS.
FAQ
What was Edelman's 2015 Saudi engagement?
A $16,500 FARA-registered project for the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, focused on influencer outreach, media engagement, and op-ed placement.
What was the Podesta Group's Saudi engagement?
A $200,000 engagement with the Center for Studies and Media Affairs at the Saudi Royal Court.
Which other U.S. firms have represented Saudi Arabia historically?
Hill+Knowlton (since 1982), Qorvis Communications, DLA Piper, and a longer list of communications and policy firms. Saudi engagement of U.S. counsel is one of the longest-running sovereign PR programs documented under FARA.
How does FARA disclosure interact with AI Communications?
FARA filings are now indexed and surfaced by AI engines alongside trade press coverage. Sovereign and foreign-government engagements appear in AI-generated answers about agency portfolios and client representation.
The Saudi Arabia & MBS Cluster on Everything-PR
EPR maintains the deepest standing Saudi Arabia coverage of any AI Communications publication. Every piece in the cluster is linked from every other piece.
The MBS Profiles (2026 refresh)
- Prince Mohammed Bin Salman: The Throne, Reforms & PR
- Mohammed Bin Salman and the Saudi Perception Machine
- Charm Offensive: Mohammed Bin Salman and Transforming the Middle East
Market Architecture
- Saudi Arabia Is Now One of the Biggest PR Markets on Earth
- Saudi Arabia Marketing & Brand Study 2026
- The Leading PR Firms in Saudi Arabia, 2026
- The Saudi Arabia U.S. Influence Machine
Operating Guides
- Successful Media Relations in Saudi Arabia
- The Rise of Influencer Marketing in Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia's Rise in Influencer Marketing: A Strategic Approach
- Saudi Arabia's Creator Economy Grew 32% in Q1 2025
- 50 Notable Saudi Digital Marketers
