NEW YORK, June 14, 2021 – BCW, the global communications agency built to move people, announced today that Matthew Gallagher is joining the agency as Executive Vice President, Corporate Practice Leader, North America, effective immediately. Gallagher will be responsible for leading and building the practice across the region and is based in New York.
Gallagher is a seasoned communications leader with more than two decades of experience. He brings to BCW broad experience in both the public and private sectors, with his experience focusing on clients in numerous areas including energy, sustainability, technology, transportation and infrastructure, manufacturing and research, and on issues including ERG/sustainability; business transformation; change management; employee engagement; and diversity, equity and inclusion.
“Never before has the role of the corporation in society been more profound and more scrutinized, with every member of the stakeholder ecosystem holding companies accountable for their impact on society,” said Donna Imperato, Global CEO, BCW. “Because of that, building and protecting a corporate reputation requires broad functional and specialty expertise and a keen understanding of how to leverage all platforms – from earned and paid media to digital to owned and social content. With Matt’s deep experience and BCW’s earned-plus offer we are bringing world-class thinking and modern approaches to solving corporations’ most pressing issues.”
Before joining BCW, Gallagher was with APCO Worldwide, where he spent nearly a decade in a variety of roles, most recently as Head of the Midwest and West Regions and North America Energy Practice Lead. He was responsible for leading teams, counseling clients and engaging with communities across a 30-state region; he also served as the Managing Director for the firm’s Chicago office. Under his leadership, the Chicago market achieved significant double-digit increases in revenue over the past two years.
Prior to his tenure at APCO Worldwide, Gallagher led the issues and crisis practice of Cerrell Associates, a communications firm in Los Angeles, guiding clients through federal, state and local regulatory and public affairs issues throughout California. While there he developed and implemented the strategy and stakeholder engagement programs for the permitting of new facilities for solar and wind, and supported numerous technology companies as they established relationships throughout the state. He also led client teams for health technology and land use development, including working on state and local issues in multiple states in the western U.S.
His public sector roles include having served as Legislative Director in the Office of Los Angeles City Councilmember Jack Weiss and as a Legislative Aide in the Office of Congressman Robert E. Wise, Jr.
“With stakeholder capitalism, the expectations on corporations to drive profit while delivering positive impact could not be higher,” said Gallagher. “BCW has long been a leader in bringing dynamic new thinking and solutions to companies as they face the most pressing challenges to their businesses. I am eager to join an incredible team and to support our clients in one of the most unique and challenging times in history.”