Longacre Square Partners Announces Whit Clay as Partner and Head of New York Office

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Longacre Square Partners, a full-service consultancy that advises clients on corporate relations, crisis management, and contested and special situations, today announced that it has appointed Whit Clay as Partner and Head of the firm’s New York office, effective March 1, 2025. In addition to serving as a member of Longacre’s leadership, Mr. Clay will focus on continuing to grow the firm’s offerings for public companies, financial sponsors and family offices. Mr. Clay joins Longacre from Sloane & Company, where he spent nine years as the firm’s Co-CEO and oversaw the growth of its financial and crisis communications practices.

Mr. Clay possesses decades of experience serving as a trusted counselor to CEOs, boards of directors and senior investment professionals. He has advised on complex transactions and material issues across sectors, with a particular focus on the areas of media, entertainment, sports and technology. His client base has included some of the world’s most high-profile public companies and private equity leaders, including Liberty Media, IMAX, the Atlanta Braves, Francisco Partners and Apollo Global Management founder Leon Black.

Dan Zacchei, a managing partner of Longacre, commented:

“Whit is one of the top advisors and operators in the global communications space. Having had the opportunity to work alongside Whit and learn from him early in our careers, Greg and I know firsthand the elite level that he performs at. There is nobody better positioned to accelerate Longacre’s expansion in the key areas of M&A, private equity and corporate issues management. We are looking forward to working with him as our partnership continues to drive the firm’s overall growth and the diversity of services we offer clients.”

Mr. Clay added:

“Longacre’s senior-led model and commitment to serving clients above all else aligns perfectly with my values. Greg, Dan and their partners have established a platform that is unique in the advisory space, and I look forward to helping accelerate the growth and evolution of the firm as I start the next chapter in my career. I would also like to thank everyone at Sloane & Company, SKDK and Stagwell for being exceptional partners over the years and wish them all the best.”

Earlier this year, Longacre announced the expansion of its North American presence through the appointment of Amy Freedman as Partner, Head of Canada. Last year, Longacre successfully launched a Corporate Governance and Shareholder Engagement practice led by Partners Jessica McDougall and Heath Winter. The firm was ranked the top investor relations and public relations advisor by Bloomberg LP’s 2024 Global Shareholder Activism Review with more than 125 total representations. It was the third consecutive year that the firm achieved this ranking based on its total number of representations across global geographies.

Whit Clay Biography

Whit serves as a senior advisor on complex transactions, mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, litigation, and numerous other special situations. Most recently, he was Co-Chief Executive Officer of Sloane & Company, where he spent more than 25 years and was jointly responsible for day-to-day leadership of the firm while overseeing the financial and crisis communications practice. Whit joined Sloane in 1999 after working with Edelman Financial Worldwide, the financial communications and investor relations division of Edelman Public Relations Worldwide. Prior to that, he worked in Washington, DC for a government relations and public affairs firm and with the U.S. Senate Sergeant-at-Arms. He is an Advisor to the Public Affairs Communications Program and a member of the Ad/PR Board of Advisors at the Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Georgia. Whit holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Syracuse University.