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Jon Aarons
Group Director - Strategic Development and Managing Partner, UK, London
Specialising in strategic communications advisory, Jon leads Rud Pedersen in the UK and is the Rud Pedersen Group Director for Strategic Development across Europe.
As Managing Partner, Jon has built the London office from the ground up, establishing an integrated team with experience across business, politics, and the media. He has advised a number of major international companies on reputational and regulatory issues in the UK and across key European markets. Recent projects include securing OFSI ( Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation) licences for British and international businesses restructuring to eliminate sanctioned shareholders, and providing crisis management for a manufacturing company facing a government divestment order on national security grounds.
Before rejoining Rud Pedersen, Jon was the Managing Director of New-York based PR agency, Sard Verbinnen & Co (now FGS Global). Prior to that, for almost 20 years, Jon worked at FTI Consulting where he worked his way up to Senior Managing Director, Global Head of Network - Strategic Communications. At FTI he also led the organisation’s partnership with the World Economic Forum for five years. Jon started his career working as the Constituency Agent for the Rt Hon Dr David Owen MP (now Lord Owen), former Foreign Secretary and leader of the Social Democratic Party in the UK.
Jon was previously President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations UK, the membership organisation for public relations professionals in the UK.