Margery Kraus is founder and CEO of APCO Worldwide, a global consulting firm headquartered in Washington, DC that specializes in public affairs, communications and business consulting for major multinationals.
She founded APCO in 1984 and grew it from a company with one small Washington office to a multinational consulting firm in major cities throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. In September 2004, Kraus led a management buyout of her firm, making APCO one of the largest privately owned communications and public affairs firms in the world.
Her approach is to fuse the best local experience with a global perspective, resulting in an international agency with a unique culture. Kraus’ achievements have been recognized by awards including the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations’ Agency Mentorship; Global Thinkers Forum Excellence in Leadership; Arthur W. Page Society’s Hall of Fame; Institute for Public Relations’ Alexander Hamilton Medal for lifetime achievement; Enterprising Women Hall of Fame; and Washington PR Woman of the Year.
Kraus specializes in strategic counsel on issue-based communications, crisis management, market entry and corporate reputation across diverse industry groups. She pioneered one of the industry’s earliest practices in corporate responsibility and the development of public/private partnerships.
Prior to APCO, Kraus created and developed the Close Up Foundation, a multimillion-dollar educational body sponsored in part by the US Congress, where she continues her involvement as a board directors.
Kraus is board chairman of the Women Presidents’ Organization and a trustee of Northwestern Mutual Life, Arthur W. Page Society, Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation and Institute for Public Relations. She is also on the advisory board of Enterprising Women magazine and is a past chairman of the Public Affairs Council and board of directors of the Council of PR Firms.
She is a trustee of American University and on the advisory board of the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, as well as the steering committee of the school’s Center for Executive Women.
Kraus is author of numerous articles on public affairs management and corporate reputation and has been a guest lecturer throughout the world. She holds a BA and MA in political science and public law from American University.