Top PR Agencies in 2026

Edelman was launched in 1952 by Daniel J. Edelman, a former journalist, starting from an office in Chicago's Merchandise Mart with one client, the Toni Corporation. His son Richard Edelman was president and CEO when the founder died in 2013. In O'Dwyer's 2026 ranking Edelman reported worldwide net fees of US$950.5 million for 2025, a decline of 3.6% on 2024, with 5,457 full-time employees, making it the largest firm in either ranking used here. PRovoke's table gives the same 2025 figure and a 2024 figure of US$986.0 million. The firm is widely known outside the PR trade for the Edelman Trust Barometer, an annual survey of public trust in business, government, media and NGOs; the 2026 edition reported that seven in ten respondents were unwilling or hesitant to trust people with different values or information sources.

Burson was created by WPP through the merger of its two largest communications agencies, BCW and Hill & Knowlton, announced on 25 January 2024 and operational from 1 July 2024. WPP said the combined agency would have more than 6,000 employees in 43 markets, with Corey duBrowa as global CEO and AnnaMaria DeSalva as global chairman; the name honours the PR pioneer Harold Burson. PRovoke's figures, as reproduced by LIKE Magazine, put Burson's 2025 fee income at US$898.6 million, down 6% from US$956.0 million in 2024, with about 5,700 staff.

Weber Shandwick is part of Omnicom Public Relations, and its New York office is described by the agency as its global headquarters. Following Omnicom's purchase of Interpublic, Omnicom confirmed in February 2026 that Weber Shandwick would remain a standalone brand. PRovoke's figures give 2025 fee income of US$806.9 million for The Weber Shandwick Collective, 5% lower than in 2024. The agency reported that it left the 2026 Cannes Lions festival as the most-awarded PR agency for the fourth consecutive year, with 25 Lions; credited work included "The Swedish Prescription" for Visit Sweden and "Lime Guides" for Corona, and the agency stated a cumulative total of more than 270 Lions.

FleishmanHillard describes its origins as a two-man operation in St. Louis and now reports nearly 80 offices in more than 30 countries; it is part of Omnicom Group. Under Omnicom Public Relations' 2026 restructuring, Porter Novelli became a dedicated brand within FleishmanHillard, with J.J. Carter continuing as FleishmanHillard CEO. PRovoke's figures put FleishmanHillard's 2025 fee income at US$691.0 million, down 7% year on year, with about 3,500 staff, compared with US$743.0 million in 2024. Its own about page already presents Porter Novelli as a partner agency that does not share the FleishmanHillard name but shares its standards. Jillian Janaczek was named Americas CEO as part of the same reorganisation, which Omnicom said would be implemented in phases through 2026 without interruption to client work.

FGS Global was formed by combining Finsbury, The Glover Park Group, Hering Schuppener and Sard Verbinnen & Co., and is headquartered in New York. The firm focuses on crisis and issues management, public affairs, reputation strategy and transaction and financial communications. In August 2024 WPP agreed to sell its roughly 50% stake to a vehicle controlled by KKR-advised funds at an enterprise value of US$1.7 billion; WPP reported FGS's 2023 net sales as US$465 million and its workforce as approximately 1,400 professionals. PRovoke's figures show 2025 fee income of US$585.0 million, up 16%, the fastest growth among the five largest firms.

Brunswick describes itself as a global advisory firm structured as a partnership and as a "one-firm firm" with more than four decades of history. It operates 27 offices, including London, New York, Washington DC, Hong Kong, Riyadh, São Paulo and Tokyo. PRovoke's figures give 2025 fee income of US$517.9 million, up 2% on 2024, with about 1,275 staff, the highest fee income per employee among the firms in this list. It states that it creates value by helping clients build relationships with their most critical stakeholders.

MSL is the public relations and strategic communications network of Publicis Groupe; its office locator lists 65 offices in 38 countries and territories. PRovoke's figures put MSL's 2025 fee income at US$432.6 million, up 5%. The agency reports that it was named 2025 SABRE Global Agency of the Year and that work with Novartis won a 2026 Cannes Lions Grand Prix; it also lists campaign work for Procter & Gamble's Mr. Clean at Cannes Lions 2026. Of its offices, 11 are in the Americas, 27 in Asia-Pacific and 27 in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; PRovoke's table lists about 2,300 staff and a 2024 fee figure of US$412.0 million.

Ogilvy traces its origin to the advertising agency David Ogilvy founded in 1948 and is owned by WPP. Its PR & Influence capability covers corporate reputation, public relations and communications, and media and newsroom work, and sits inside a network the company describes as more than 120 offices in nearly 90 countries. PRovoke's figures give Ogilvy PR 2025 fee income of US$423.0 million, 6% lower than in 2024. Unlike most firms on this list, Ogilvy PR operates as a capability within an advertising-led network rather than as a standalone agency.

APCO has operated since 1984 and describes itself as independent and majority women-owned, with more than 1,200 employees working across 80 markets. In O'Dwyer's 2026 ranking it reported worldwide net fees of US$238.9 million for 2025, up 1.1%, which placed it fourth among firms reporting to O'Dwyer's, with 1,108 full-time employees. PRovoke's table shows the same 2025 figure against US$236.4 million for 2024 and places APCO 17th in its global ranking. The firm's own account attributes its founding to "one woman's vision and bold action" but does not name the founder or a headquarters on its about page, and lists no awards there.

SEC Newgate describes itself as a global strategic communication and advocacy group driven by insight and research. It is headquartered in Milan, has around 1,200 professionals in 50 offices across 22 countries, and was delisted from the London Stock Exchange in March 2022; in December 2023 Investcorp agreed to invest about US$100 million for a majority stake. PRovoke's figures give 2025 fee income of US$228.2 million, up 1%, the highest of any Italian-headquartered firm in the table, with about 1,388 staff. The group states that it advises more than 1,500 companies and has expanded into the United States and Central and South America; the minority investor Three Hills Capital Partners joined at the 2022 delisting.

Ruder Finn was founded in 1948 by Bill Ruder and David Finn. It describes itself as one of the world's largest global independent integrated marketing and communications agencies, with regional headquarters in New York, London and Beijing and operations across more than 30 countries; affiliated companies include Peppercomm and touchdown. In O'Dwyer's 2026 ranking it reported worldwide net fees of US$203.0 million for 2025, up 7.2%, with 1,350 employees; PRovoke's table lists US$189.4 million for 2024. In North America it lists offices in cities including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto and Washington, D.C. Its location list names 17 Asia-Pacific cities, from Beijing and Shanghai to Jakarta and Mumbai.

FINN Partners was founded in December 2011 by Peter Finn, who had been co-CEO of the agency bearing his family name for eleven years, together with several founding managing partners. The firm reports growth from US$24 million in fees at launch to roughly US$199 million, with more than 1,300 colleagues in 39 offices across five continents, and lists acquisitions including ABI (2017), Agency Ten22 (2021) and Honner (2026). O'Dwyer's 2026 ranking records 2025 net fees of US$199.1 million, unchanged on 2024, with 1,267 full-time employees. The firm states that it has been named "Best New Agency" and "Best Mid-Sized Agency of the Year" on multiple occasions, without naming the award bodies on that page.