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Public affairs giant Cicero joins Havas’ AMO network ahead of potential acquisition

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Former Tory adviser Iain Anderson has been recruited to work with Labour on securing closer relations with business.
Former Tory adviser Iain Anderson quot the Conservative party last year after serving as an adviser to Boris Johnson.

The UK’s largest public affairs agency Cicero is set to join AMO, a network of communications firms owned by or affiliated to Paris-based media giant Havas.

Cicero, which is currently based in the City, will move into Havas’ Kings Cross headquarters this weekend.

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As part of the agreement Cicero, which was founded by well-known Square Mile lobbyist Iain Anderson and chief executive Jeremy Swan in 2001, will work closely alongside fellow PR giant Maitland.

City watchers expect a formal deal to be announced within weeks, with Havas potentially acquiring a controlling stake in Cicero.

“This agreement ensures we will stay ahead of the curve,” said Anderson. “We will combine our world-class services to create the leading strategic communications offer and access the specialisms, expertise and creativity of both the AMO and the Havas networks.”

The tie-up marks a beefing up of public affairs expertise in the AMO network, which is active in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as well as financial PR.

Last year the group’s US financial and corporate comms division Abernathy Macgregor opened a government affairs office in Washington in a bid to capitalise on booming demand from corporate clients. 

“We are delighted to welcome Cicero into AMO’s growing global network and we all look forward to working with Iain and Jeremy,” said AMO chairman Angus Maitland.

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“This is part of a broad strategic move to develop AMO capability in public affairs and policy, as governments around the world are becoming more interventionist in corporate affairs, particularly around M&A and governance.”

AMO currently operates in 11 countries, and advised on almost 60 M&A deals worth over €230bn (£195bn) in the first half of 2019. Cicero will rebrand to Cicero/AMO following the deal.

Main image credit: Twitter/Iain Anderson