WALLIS&CO
CEO & Board Advisory +Reputation & Crisis + Agency Governance
Senior counsel when the stakes are high.
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Advising CEOs, boards and founders on strategy, reputation, leadership and complex decisions.
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WALLIS&CO is the advisory practice of former Clemenger Group New Zealand CEO and international communications leader Strahan Wallis.
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Strahan works with a deliberately limited portfolio of CEOs, boards, founders and organisations, providing experienced, independent counsel drawn from more than 25 years in executive leadership, governance, reputation management and professional services.
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CEO & BOARD ADVISORY
Sometimes leaders need someone outside the organisation who understands what it is like to carry responsibility inside it.
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WALLIS&CO provides confidential counsel to CEOs, boards and senior leaders navigating growth, organisational complexity, leadership challenges, change and significant decisions.
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The role is not to provide another generic consulting framework. It is to bring perspective, experience, judgement and an independent point of view to the table.
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“Strahan is one of the best advisors I’ve worked with.”
— Harvey Mason Jr., CEO, The Recording Academy
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REPUTATION & CRISIS
Reputation is one of an organisation’s most valuable assets.
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WALLIS&CO advises organisations and individuals facing significant reputational, media and stakeholder challenges—from emerging issues through to major crises. The starting point is always the problem itself: understand it, solve what can be solved, establish the right strategy and communicate with clarity and integrity. Advice can encompass boards, employees, customers, investors, government, media, communities and other critical stakeholders.
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AGENCY GOVERNANCE
Running an agency can be exhilarating, demanding and occasionally lonely.
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Strahan has led individual agencies, networks of agencies and a diversified marketing-services group across New Zealand and the United States. WALLIS&CO works with founders and agency leaders on growth, leadership, financial performance, structure, talent, new business, succession and exit planning.
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The advantage is practical experience: chances are, we have encountered a version of your problem or opportunity before.
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EXPERIENCE THAT TRAVELS
Strahan’s career has included senior leadership roles with Porter Novelli in New Zealand and North America and CEO of Clemenger Group New Zealand, alongside extensive board and advisory experience.
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His work has involved organisations and senior leaders across New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Today he also serves as a non-executive chair/director and adviser across commercial and purpose-led organisations.
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DELIBERATELY BOUTIQUE
WALLIS&CO works with a limited number of clients so that engagements remain senior, personal and highly responsive. Where specialist capability is required, Strahan can assemble bespoke teams from an established international network.
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Good judgement matters. Particularly when the stakes are high.
P R I N Z
"Strahan is one of the best advisors I've worked with. His ability to navigate the most challenging crises with smart ideas and strategies while remaining calm and personable is something I have appreciated immensely. I've been in the trenches with him and his ability to rise above the noise, work collaboratively and constructively alongside all stakeholders from the board, the staff, the media and external stakeholders, make him someone whose advice I highly value."
Harvey Mason jr. CEO, The Recording Academy & CEO, Harvey Mason Media 2024
"Strahan Wallis is described as one of the stand-out practitioners of his generation…He has led and been involved with some of the most challenging communication issues in modern times. He sits at the decision-making table, participating in developing the ‘answers’ as well as ‘communicating’ them.”
Nomination by peers for Fellowship in the Public Relations Institute of NZ 2017
NZ Herald: listed Strahan as one of the top three PR people in New Zealand in its “Power List” for 2023: [Strahan] “garnered a reputation for being particularly cool under pressure and dealing with complex crisis management issues…[and] in a league of his own when it comes to his career trajectory.”
New Zealand Herald 2023
Business Desk described Strahan as being “in line for some of the top jobs in NZ media having enjoyed success in the US representing clients such as The Recording Academy.” “During his tenure his teams at Colenso [and] ClemengerBBDO... have won international acclaim for their creative work.”
Business Desk 2024
If necessary, bespoke teams can be assembled. Access a portfolio of world-class professionals including award winning technology and research leaders, Emmy award winning producers and directors, ex-White House staffers and globally recognised creatives.
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