Fireside Chat Speaker

Richard Edelman '72
President and CEO, Edelman ( Public Relations)

April 15, 2007

Richard Edelman is the president and CEO of the world's largest independent public relations firm with over 2,500 employees in 46 offices worldwide.  Edelman, named "Large Agency of the Year 2006" and "Editors Choice for 2005" by PRWeek and the "Agency to Watch Out For in 2007" by Ad Age, has been a leader in public relations since it was founded in 1952.  Richard's blog, 6 A.M., which launched in September 2004, receives more than 2,000 visitors a day.

Richard Edelman was named president and CEO in September 1996. Prior to that, he served as president of Edelman's U.S. operations, regional manager of Europe and manager of the firm's New York office.

Richard has extensive experience in marketing and reputation management, with current assignments for Scotts Miracle Gro, Credit Suisse, Avaya, and Lower Manhattan. He has counseled several countries on economic development programs, including Egypt, Israel and Mexico.

Recently, Richard has worked on an HJ Heinz proxy contest with Nelson Peltz; Swiss Re's litigation over insurance claims at the World Trade Center site; and led a team on the development of communications for the Mayor's Office in New York City on the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan through the "This Is 2010" campaign. 

Richard has special understanding of the non-governmental organization (NGO) movement.  He has spoken on this topic at several conferences including The Institute of Social & Ethical AccountAbility, The Conference Board and the World Economic Forum.  Edelman's research on NGOs in the Edelman Trust Barometer has been cited by several publications including The Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Richard won the Silver Anvil, the highest award in the public relations industry, in 1981.  He was named 'Best Manager of the Year' by Inside PR magazine in 1995. In 2006, he was awarded "Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 - NY Metropolitan Area" by Ernst & Young. He serves on the Board of Directors of the New York Historical Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Atlantic Council and is the North American Chairman of the International Business Leaders Forum.  He is also a member of the World Economic Forum, the Arthur Page Society and PR Seminar. 

Richard was graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1972.  He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College (1976) and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1978.  He lives in New York City with his wife, Roz, and three daughters.

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