Rud Pedersen acquires META

European public affairs and communications consultancy Rud Pedersen Group has strengthened its presence in Estonia by merging its established Tallinn office with META Advisory.

Building on its market-leading presence in Lithuania and Latvia, this acquisition confirms Rud Pedersen's number one position across the region’s three EU member states.

“META Advisory – part of Rud Pedersen Group” will offer enhanced local service and a gateway to the rest of Europe for Estonian companies, as well as providing international clients with a secure entry into Estonia and the Baltic region.

The combination cements Rud Pedersen’s status as the fastest-growing public affairs and communications group with 480 people in its 14 European office locations.

The Group helps clients see the connections between markets and how regulatory decisions are reached, providing clients with insights into social and political processes to promote and influence support for their stories, issues and interests.

“We have long admired META as an excellent competitor and now warmly welcome all these fine new colleagues to our group,” says Morten Rud Pedersen, Founder and CEO at Rud Pedersen Group. “We are on an exciting journey towards being a pan European, fully integrated consultancy serving international clients as they navigate this continent in all its glorious variety and complexity.”

The combined Rud Pedersen operations in Estonia will be led by Andreas Kaju, currently the managing partner of META Advisory. Commenting on the collaboration, he said: “Rud Pedersen has become the best-in-class public affairs group in Europe, because its ambitions are inspired by leadership, execution and an entrepreneurial spirit. We became convinced of this through lengthy talks and discussions over many months. Rud Pedersen Group’s views match well with our own culture, where we value transparency and directness and helping our clients with the best solutions to their current and future challenges.”

Kairi Uustulnd, who opened and built Rud Pedersen’s Tallinn office since 2018, will now be part of the Estonian management team and lead the public affairs team. Two other partners, Ann Hiiemaa and Rainer Laurits, will head the marketing communications and reputation management teams, respectively. Kairi Uustulnd welcomes the team from META Advisory, commenting: “I am happy for our team and the company as we continue to grow stronger, but especially for our clients, who benefit the most from the merger. I firmly believe that the strength of our team is top local talent. Consultants with a deep knowledge and wide range of experience who are highly valued and trusted by our clients. Thanks to them, we have been able to quickly win the trust of our clients and continue to grow our business.”

Rud Pedersen Group provides clear advice and practical support for organisations engaged in public discourse, assisting them in achieving their strategic objectives in a complex world. Clients range from major international corporates to local start-ups, public bodies and business associations, and the group helps them to navigate policy and regulation, reputation, issues and crises, marketing and recruitment.