REG - Public Policy Hldg - Acquisition of WPI Strategy

Public Policy HoldingAnnouncement

Today 07:00

For best results when printing this announcement, please click on link below:
https://newsfile.refinitiv.com/getnewsfile/v1/story?guid=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20260323:nRSW6732Xa&default-theme=true

RNS Number : 6732X  Public Policy Holding Company, Inc.  23 March 2026

Public Policy Holding Company, Inc.

("PPHC", the "Group" or the "Company")

Acquisition of WPI Strategy

Earnings accretive; expands UK advisory and economics capabilities

Public Policy Holding Company, Inc., (Nasdaq: PPHC) (AIM: PPHC), a leading
global strategic communications provider offering a comprehensive range of
advisory services in the areas of government relations, public affairs and
corporate communications, announces that it has entered into a binding
agreement for the acquisition of Westminster Policy Partners Limited ("WPI
Strategy", or "the Acquisition"), a leading UK public affairs and economics
consultancy. WPI Strategy will become part of Pagefield Group, PPHC's
London‑based strategic communications subsidiary, upon closing which is
expected on or around 1 April 2026.

Highlights

·    The Acquisition is expected to be immediately earnings accretive.

·    Expands Group capabilities in economics-led analysis and
research-driven advocacy communications, and evidence-based policy strategy.

·    Enhances PPHC's footprint and depth in the UK and Europe.

·    Creates compelling cross-selling and integrated servicing
opportunities across the Group's global client base, which includes
approximately a quarter of the Fortune 500.

·    Reinforces PPHC's strategy of combining organic growth with targeted,
capability-enhancing M&A.

Transaction Overview

WPI Strategy, which was founded in 2014 by Nick Faith and Sean Worth,
specialises in research-driven advocacy. Its offer combines communications and
policy advisory with an industry-leading in-house economics capability, led by
Martin Beck, the former Chief Economic Adviser to the EY ITEM Club. The firm
regularly produces high-quality research and due diligence to support the
commercial and reputational goals of its clients, including Abbvie, Bupa,
Cisco, London City Airport, Microsoft, Pension Insurance Corporation, and
VodafoneThree.

In the twelve months to January 2026, WPI Strategy generated approximately
£2.45 million of net revenue and employs approximately 14 professionals. Also
in 2025, WPI Strategy was awarded 'Consultancy of the Year' by City AM. The
team was also recognised by PR Week for its support in the merger of Vodafone
and Three, and has added new talent already in 2026.

All employees and advisers of WPI Strategy will transition as part of the
Acquisition. The business intends to retain its trading brand and operate as
the economics and policy consulting unit within Pagefield Group, and Nick
Faith and Sean Worth will join Pagefield's Senior Leadership Team.

Strategic Rationale

The Acquisition advances PPHC's long-standing objective of building a
portfolio of complementary strategic communications businesses that enhance
the Group's ability to deliver integrated policy, communications and
reputation advisory services.

WPI Strategy brings a differentiated research-driven advocacy model combining
policy advisory, economic modelling, impact analysis, and communications
strategy grounded in quantitative evidence.

The transaction further strengthens PPHC's presence in the UK, one of the
world's most important policy and financial centres, following the Group's
acquisition of Pagefield in 2024. The combined platform will comprise over 60
client-facing professionals.

Consistent with PPHC's acquisition strategy, the transaction is expected to be
immediately earnings accretive and aligns with the Group's target margin
profile. The addition enhances both organic growth prospects and long-term
shareholder value.

Stewart Hall, CEO of PPHC, commented:

"This acquisition exemplifies our disciplined approach to growth. We are
adding a meaningful, differentiated capability that strengthens our ability to
combine economic evidence, policy advocacy and strategic communications to
benefit our clients. Following our Nasdaq listing, our intention remains to
deploy capital in a focused and accretive manner. This transaction is a
perfect example of that strategy in action."

Nick Faith, Co-founder of WPI Strategy, commented:

"We are delighted to be joining the PPHC family and broadening the network's
presence in the UK and Europe. The combination of WPI Strategy's economic and
political consulting expertise with Pagefield's fully-integrated public
affairs, digital and corporate communications capabilities means that,
together, we can offer clients the most comprehensive and fully integrated
offer in the UK market.

"We have also been developing our international capabilities via marquee
global accounts and look forward to working closely with PPHC and its existing
member companies to bring our consulting offer to the United States and other
growth markets."

Oliver Foster, CEO of Pagefield Group, commented:

"WPI Strategy has for many years been delivering some of the best economic and
policy analysis in the London market, and they have a particularly strong
track record working for some of the world's most interesting organisations on
some of the most important policy challenges of our time - both domestically
and internationally. The synergies - for our clients and our teams alike - are
clear. I'm thrilled that they're now a core part of the Pagefield and wider
PPHC team."

Enquiries

 Public Policy Holding Company, Inc.                            +1 (202) 688 0020

 Stewart Hall, CEO

 Roel Smits, CFO
 Stifel (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker)                      +44 (0) 20 7710 7600

 Fred Walsh, Brough Ransom, Ben Good, Daniel Dearden Williams
 Canaccord Genuity (Joint Broker)                               +44 (0) 20 7523 8000

 Simon Bridges, Andrew Potts
 Burson Buchanan (Media Enquiries)                              +44 (0) 20 7466 5000

 Helen Tarbet, Toto Berger, Jesse McNab                         pphc@buchanan.uk.com

About PPHC

Incorporated in 2014, PPHC is a global strategic communications platform that
supports clients in enhancing and defending their reputations, advancing
policy objectives, managing regulatory risk, and engaging with federal and
state-level policymakers, stakeholders, media, and the public.

Engaged by approximately 1,400 clients, including companies, trade
associations and non-governmental organizations, PPHC is active in all major
sectors of the economy, including healthcare and pharmaceuticals, financial
services, energy, technology, telecoms and transportation.

With operations across 18 offices in the United States and internationally,
PPHC's services include government relations, public affairs and corporate
communications, research and analytics, digital advocacy campaigning, and
compliance support. The Company's shares are admitted to trading on the Nasdaq
Global Market and on AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange,
under the ticker symbol "PPHC".

For more information, visit www.pphcompany.com (https://pphcompany.com) .

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact
rns@lseg.com (mailto:rns@lseg.com)
 or visit
www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/)
.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our
Privacy Policy (https://www.lseg.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy)
.   END  ACQGLGDXUXDDGLX



            Copyright 2019 Regulatory News Service, all rights reserved