Hill & Knowlton: Expertise

Diplomacy

Hill & Knowlton International Belgium has long standing experience in assisting governments, public institutions, embassies, semi-state companies and political NGOs in communicating their position towards the European Institutions and related third party stakeholders. We have run lobbying and media campaigns for public sector clients on a wide range of geopolitical, regulatory and reputation management issues both in Brussels and across European Union Member States. Current and past clients include the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, the Government of Republika Srpska, the Government of the Maldives, the Dubai Executive Council, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the Government of Singapore, the Government of Mexico, the Government of Turkey and the Government of Botswana.

Competition and Trade

Competition and, to a lesser extent, trade tend to be the domain of legal advisors. Traditionally, they have not been an area on which external communications advice has been sought.

However, following a number of high profile antitrust (Boeing /McDonnell Douglas, GE/Honewell) and trade (shoe, textile and steel imports to the EU) cases, businesses, governments, NGOs and associations are increasingly conscious that a combined legal, political and media strategy is the most effective way of achieving a particular outcome.

Hill & Knowlton’s competition & trade team is made up of former lawyers, journalists, and EU institution officials. Apart from ‘EU’ languages we also speak Japanese, Chinese, Arabic and Hebrew.

We tend to work in close coordination with – and often following a recommendation by – law firms. We offer two types of services: profiling trade & competition lawyers; and advocacy for their clients. Essentially, we give value added on Competition, Trade and Diplomacy issues by assisting our clients in targeting political, media and third party audiences with non-legal arguments. This is particularly useful when the merits of the legal case would benefit from political and media support.

We understand the law, the need for confidentiality and the importance of the use of one word over another. We also understand the highly sensitive nature of media outreach during antitrust investigations and WTO litigation. We can assist in preparing clients at all stages of a procedure – from when rumours start to fly that an investigation might take place, to just before a decision is to be made. But the earlier we are brought in to assist, the more effective the communications strategy.

Examples of clients we have advised on competition and trade issues include Yahoo!, Microsoft, Travelport, Air Canada, American Express, INCO, SABIC, Interpipe, Easyjet, P&G, the government of the Maldives, the governments of Cameroon and the Ivory Coast, NASSCOM, the Dubai Executive Council and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States.

You can read more about our International Trade expertise here and about our Competition expertise here.




Home About Us Expertise EU Public Affairs International Public Relations Belgian PR Crisis Management Events Digital Communications Healthcare Information Technology Energy Environment Food and Consumer Transport Financial Services Competition, Trade and Diplomacy Client Successes Publications Credentials Careers Contact Latest News		Diplomacy Hill & Knowlton International Belgium has long standing experience in assisting governments, public institutions, embassies, semi-state companies and political NGOs in communicating their position towards the European Institutions and related third party stakeholders. We have run lobbying and media campaigns for public sector clients on a wide range of geopolitical, regulatory and reputation management issues both in Brussels and across European Union Member States. Current and past clients include the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, the Government of Republika Srpska, the Government of the Maldives, the Dubai Executive Council, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the Government of Singapore, the Government of Mexico, the Government of Turkey and the Government of Botswana. Competition and Trade Competition and, to a lesser extent, trade tend to be the domain of legal advisors. Traditionally, they have not been an area on which external communications advice has been sought. However, following a number of high profile antitrust (Boeing /McDonnell Douglas, GE/Honewell) and trade (shoe, textile and steel imports to the EU) cases, businesses, governments, NGOs and associations are increasingly conscious that a combined legal, political and media strategy is the most effective way of achieving a particular outcome. Hill & Knowlton’s competition & trade team is made up of former lawyers, journalists, and EU institution officials. Apart from ‘EU’ languages we also speak Japanese, Chinese, Arabic and Hebrew. We tend to work in close coordination with – and often following a recommendation by – law firms. We offer two types of services: profiling trade & competition lawyers; and advocacy for their clients. Essentially, we give value added on Competition, Trade and Diplomacy issues by assisting our clients in targeting political, media and third party audiences with non-legal arguments. This is particularly useful when the merits of the legal case would benefit from political and media support. We understand the law, the need for confidentiality and the importance of the use of one word over another. We also understand the highly sensitive nature of media outreach during antitrust investigations and WTO litigation. We can assist in preparing clients at all stages of a procedure – from when rumours start to fly that an investigation might take place, to just before a decision is to be made. But the earlier we are brought in to assist, the more effective the communications strategy. Examples of clients we have advised on competition and trade issues include Yahoo!, Microsoft, Travelport, Air Canada, American Express, INCO, SABIC, Interpipe, Easyjet, P&G, the government of the Maldives, the governments of Cameroon and the Ivory Coast, NASSCOM, the Dubai Executive Council and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States. You can read more about our International Trade expertise here and about our Competition expertise here.