SÃO PAOLO—BlueFocus International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese holding company BlueFocus Communication Group, has formed a strategic partnership with 24x7 Comunicação of Brazil.  The partnership consists of cross-border marketing, business development opportunities and knowledge sharing to provide communications and marketing solutions for global brands and organizations in China, Brazil and Latin America. Headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil with operational support in Rio de Janeiro and Campinas, 24x7 also coordinates agencies in México, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Costa Rica.

NEW YORK—Intercom Americas, the holding company for public relations agency JeffreyGroup and affiliated resources Pinta, Webfluentials and PubTracker, has launched Kaleio, an international branding and business consulting firm to be headed by Henry Hughes, who has worked in the US, Europe and Latin America for companies including Burger King, Carnival Cruise Lines, Home Depot, Hunter Douglas, and Johnson & Johnson. Kaleio will use deep-data analysis to help clients develop their brands,.

SAN FRANCISCO—Antenna, which works with energy and smart technology companies, has acquired Eco Branding, an integrated public relations, marketing and creative agency that specializes in technology for clean energy, smart cities and advanced mobility. Eco Branding was founded in 2011 by cleantech entrepreneur Jake Rozmaryn, who will be president for Eco Branding and will also serve as Antenna's vice president of strategy and business development. Antenna is part of the Beckerman family of PR firms.

WASHINGTON, DC—Vanguard Communications is introducing Comunicadores for the Future in partnership with the George Washington University’s Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute. Launched in conjunction with Vanguard’s 30th anniversary, the program will fund six- to nine-week paid internships with non-profit organizations in the DC metro area beginning in June 2017.