NEW YORK — Edelman has appointed Brunswick Group's Laurie Hays to executive vice president of the firm's financial Communications and capital markets practice. Hays, who most recently spent two years as a partner at Brunswick Group and has 30 years experience as a financial journalist at The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, will take on her new position at the end of this month.

Hays is tasked with leading Edelman's special situations capabilities in the US and providing counsel to boards and management teams on broader reputational issues. Based in New York, she will report to Lex Suvanto, global managing director of Edelman financial communications and capital markets. 

"Financial communications has never been more complex and demanding, requiring sophisticated understanding of market dynamics and sound judgement," said Suvanto. "Clients need a partner who can quickly size up events, see what's coming next and provide clear strategic advice. Laure has spent decades covering or overseeing corporate news stories at two of the world's most important financial news outlets, which makes her an ideal advisor for executives operating in this kind of environment." 

Hays joined the Brunswick Group as partner in July, 2015. There, she advised on crisis management, deals, activism defense and reputation. Prior to that, she spent nearly seven years at Bloomberg as a senior executive editor overseeing global beat reporting for companies, markets, governments, economics, finance and education by over 1k reporters and editors. Prior to that, she spent nearly 22 years at the Wall Street Journal, where she started as a chemicals reporter in 1986 and rose to deputy managing editor, investigative projects. 

"Companies face extreme pressure in today's volatile world to boost performance in the face of rapid technology transformation while at the same time managing responsibilities to society," said Hays. "This disruption of traditional business models requires insightful strategic planning and communication strategies. Edelman is the best in the business at helping companies create a favorable context in which to do business and I couldn't be happier to be joining such a prominent, successful organization with a clear sense of direction."