Tag: TrailRunner International

PPHC Expands Strategic Advisory Platform with Appointment of TrailRunner Sports President

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WASHINGTON, Mar. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (“PPHC” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq: PPHC), a leading global provider of strategic communications services, today announced that TrailRunner International (“TrailRunner”), one of the Company’s member firms, has named Alden Mitchell as President of TrailRunner Sports, its global sports advisory business.

The appointment reflects PPHC’s continued investment in high-value growth areas across its platform. As the global sports industry grows in scale and institutional complexity, leagues, teams, ownership groups, universities, and brands increasingly require the same strategic communications and advisory capabilities that PPHC’s member firms deliver across corporate reputation, financial communications, crisis, and strategic advisory services.

TrailRunner Sports was established in 2023 to meet this demand. Since launch, the business has built a client roster spanning major professional teams in the United States and abroad, sports teams, universities, collegiate conferences, and brands. A joint venture with Legends, the global premium experiences company, TrailRunner Sports advises on crisis and reputation management, league expansions, media rights negotiations, litigation communications, and other significant transactions. The appointment of a dedicated President signals the next phase of investment in the platform as client demand continues to grow.

Mitchell joins from Stanford Athletics, where she served as Chief Operating Officer and Interim Athletics Director, overseeing capital projects, external relations, facilities and operations, finance, human resources, and revenue-generating initiatives. As Interim Athletics Director, she led the organization through a period of competitive and commercial success while driving fundraising growth, strengthening partnerships, and enhancing financial discipline.

Previously, Mitchell led Uber’s Consumer Business Development team from 2021 to 2024, spearheading strategic partnerships with the NFL, Live Nation, Marriott, Instacart, and others. Earlier in her career, she served as Senior Vice President of Distribution at the Pac-12 Networks and as Head of Global Partnerships and Content Strategy at Crunchyroll, the global anime streaming platform. She brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience across sports, media, and technology.

Mitchell joins a strong and growing team of sports leaders at TrailRunner, including Jamie Zaninovich, who will serve as Vice Chair of TrailRunner Sports, partnering closely with Mitchell. Mitchell will report directly to Jim Wilkinson, Founder and Executive Chairman of TrailRunner International.

Zaninovich, who has helped launch TrailRunner’s sports business and brings three decades of experience across collegiate athletics and conference leadership, will focus on strategy and business development in his role as Vice Chair of TrailRunner Sports. He will continue to advise select clients and focus on strategic growth initiatives in partnership with Mitchell.

Stewart Hall, Chief Executive Officer of PPHC, commented:

“This is another strong example of PPHC investing behind differentiated leadership and high-value growth opportunities across our platform. TrailRunner has added important strategic and financial communications capabilities to the Group, and TrailRunner Sports extends that model into one of the most dynamic and increasingly institutionalized sectors of the global economy. Alden’s appointment strengthens an already promising business and positions it for continued growth.”

Jim Wilkinson, Founder and Executive Chairman of TrailRunner International, commented:

“The business of sports is more exciting, complex, and consequential than ever before. Alden is exactly the kind of leader we need to take this rapidly growing platform to the next level. Sports is now a major global asset class. Ownership is shifting, capital is pouring in, college athletics is being remade, women’s sports is accelerating, and media and technology are changing the way fans connect to the games they love. Alden has the experience, passion, and competitive drive to capitalize on these tremendous opportunities and help our clients win.”

Alden Mitchell commented:

“TrailRunner has built something special — a team that understands both the business and the heartbeat of sports and is determined to go above and beyond for clients and each other. The sports landscape is evolving rapidly, and the opportunity to scale a best-in-class advisory business that delivers measurable impact for clients around the world is incredibly energizing. I can’t wait to partner with Jamie and this outstanding team and get to work.”

TRI named one of PRovoke Media’s 80 Best Agencies in the US

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TrailRunner International has been spotlighted by PRovoke Media as one of the 80 Best Agencies in the US for 2025. TRI was recognized specifically for their performance and growth, thought leadership, and corporate communications capabilities.

TrailRunner’s collaborative approach integrates expertise from diverse fields such as media relations, law, government affairs, and finance. This multidisciplinary strategy enables the firm to tackle complex challenges that often transcend traditional boundaries, ensuring swift and effective communication strategies that deliver high value for clients. The firm’s diverse clientele, which includes high-profile names, underscores its capability to manage high-stakes communications across various sectors, reinforcing its reputation as a trusted partner in strategic advisory.

See the full list from PRovoke Media.

PPHC to Acquire TrailRunner International

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Accretive acquisition expands strategic communications capabilities, extends reach into new geographies and introduces a global sports advisory service

Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (AIM: PPHC), the leading government relations and public affairs group, is pleased to announce it has entered into a binding agreement on 24 January 2025 to acquire TrailRunner International LLC (“TrailRunner”), a Texas-based global communications advisory firm, for an initial consideration of $33 million (the “Acquisition”). On completion, the Acquisition is anticipated to be immediately accretive to the Group’s underlying earnings.

Acquisition Overview

PPHC has entered into a binding agreement on 24 January 2025 to acquire TrailRunner for an initial consideration of $33 million. On completion, the Acquisition is anticipated to be immediately accretive to the Group’s underlying earnings.

The Acquisition significantly expands PPHC’s capabilities in the large and growing strategic communications market, including corporate affairs, financial communications, crisis communications, litigation communications and reputation management. TrailRunner and PPHC are highly complementary with the combined Group presenting clear and immediate potential for cross-selling and integrated servicing for c.1,300 existing clients.

Founded in 2016 by Executive Chairman Jim Wilkinson, TrailRunner operates with a global team across offices in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas (where the firm is headquartered), as well as New York, Nashville, and Northern California. The firm also serves global and regional clients from its locations in London, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with approximately 80 employees supporting its operations worldwide.

Completion of the Acquisition is subject to certain conditions which management expects will be satisfied by 1 April 2025.

Strategic Rationale

The Acquisition is in line with PPHC’s longstanding objective to build, bring together and grow a portfolio of complementary businesses with specialist communications capabilities in order to help clients navigate the world’s most challenging crises, policy risks and opportunities. It also supports the Group’s stated M&A strategy by significantly expanding its strategic communications capabilities and broadening its geographic reach.

PPHC’s global clients require a service provider able to support them across all communications disciplines and in the various geographies where they operate. This acquisition establishes Group operations and a presence in key growth markets, including:

  • Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee – central cities with reach into the growing heartland of the US South, Midwest, and Southwest.
  • New York, where TrailRunner retains deep financial and corporate sector expertise.
  • Northern California, an innovation hub, further amplifying and broadening the expertise PPHC has already established in the state.
  • Across strategic locations in the UK, Middle East and Asia, deepening PPHC’s global footprint.

Upon completion, the addition of TrailRunner’s capabilities in corporate affairs, financial communications, crisis communications, litigation communications and reputation management represents a natural evolution of PPHC’s core service offerings of government relations and public affairs. In an environment where political issues instantly evolve into reputational crises—and vice versa—these expanded capabilities enable PPHC to deliver an integrated service suite that bridges policy advocacy with corporate reputation and strategic positioning.

Furthermore, the Acquisition includes TrailRunner Sports, a leading sports advisory practice established as a joint venture with Legends, the world’s preeminent premium live events company. TrailRunner Sports provides strategic business advisory and communications support to global sports clients spanning leagues, teams, educational institutions, investors, ownership groups and others. This addition broadens PPHC’s ability to offer tailored expertise in the dynamic sports sector and demonstrates its commitment to diversifying its offerings in high-growth markets.

This holistic approach enhances PPHC’s ability to serve its clients’ C-suites, providing a comprehensive advisory framework to navigate complex challenges across regulatory, media, and stakeholder landscapes.

This is PPHC’s fifth significant acquisition since its IPO in 2021 and second that expands its international reach. Upon completion, the Group will have invested substantial capital into M&A through a combination of cash and shares, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to executing its growth strategy. All completed acquisitions to date have been successfully integrated to become value contributing members of the Group.

Stewart Hall, CEO of PPHC, commented:

“The acquisition of TrailRunner simultaneously entrenches our market leading US position and establishes our business as a truly global strategic communications group. It advances our longstanding strategy of building the world’s most comprehensive provider of government relations and corporate communications services.

“By combining TrailRunner’s deep expertise in corporate and financial communications, crisis management and sport with our existing capabilities, we create immediate value for existing, as well as prospective, clients across all markets. TrailRunner’s strong presence in America’s key business centres, combined with its international reach into Europe, Asia and the Middle East delivers on our vision of serving clients with the most important policy and communications needs wherever they operate.”

Jim Wilkinson, Founder and Executive Chairman of TrailRunner, added:

“TrailRunner is a unique and exciting growth company with a track record of proven financial success, an aggressive growth strategy and a deep bench of talent to execute this growth plan. Given the growing global megatrend of the collision of critical factors including corporate reputation, government relations, finance, crisis, litigation and sports, I can think of no better partner than PPHC to help TrailRunner expand into significant future international growth.”