Manning, Selvage Acquires L.A. Firm

Public relations firm Manning, Selvage & Lee has acquired Los Angeles-based corporate and investor-relations firm Pondel/Wilkinson Group. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Roger Pondel, president of the Pondel/Wilkinson Group, said the merger was complementary to both firms. With 29 MS&L; offices based in major metropolitan areas of the U.S. and around the world, the acquisition is expected to broaden the New York-based firm’s position and capability in the financial communications field. Both companies focus primarily on the consumer, health-care, technology, corporate and financial services sectors. MS&L; clients include J.P Morgan, General Motors, Capital One and IBM, among others. Pondel/Wilkinson will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary under the name PondelWilkinson MS&L; and will serve as MS&L;’s investor-relations branch. Roger Pondel will become managing director of the investor-relations practice and co-founder Cecilia Wilkinson will become deputy.