“A third of these case studies involve messaging strategies for negotiations. The WHWG Blog includes a posting that expands on our thinking for the still-confidential assignment profiled below and a negotiation similar to it.”

 Clark S. Judge, WHWG managing director

When a prominent US-based global energy firm sought to divest holdings in a major Asian country, it found itself confronted with local political allies of its in-country partner. The political allies sought to force our client to divest on fire-sale terms.

Facing these threats from local regulators and legislators, the energy firm turned to the White House Writers Group. At the time we were helping it with problems on another continent.

Within days, WHWG launched a six-month, highly targeted, third-party communications campaign aimed at global financial elites.

A series of op-eds signed by regional financial leaders and placed in prominent financial publications in Asia, Europe, and North America discussed the challenges facing companies engaged in foreign direct investment. Each piece included several examples, one of them being our client’s negotiation. None leveled accusations. All asked questions.

The questions encouraged the financial world to see the outcome of the talks as indicating how fairly the country in question would treat foreign investors.

Within weeks, the tone of the local party and its official allies changed.

The client divested its holdings on appropriate terms.