NEW YORK - March 3, 2026 - Kekst CNC, the international strategic communications boutique, is proud to announce the promotion of Kelly Whitten and Daniel Hoadley to Partner. Their promotions reflect Kekst CNC’s longstanding commitment to providing bespoke and value-additive strategic counsel to clients, enabling them to communicate effectively with key stakeholders across all channels.
Kelly and Daniel have become highly respected and accomplished client counsellors and embody the best of how Kekst CNC partners with clients through enterprise-defining events including M&A, special situations, and restructurings across a wide range of industries. Kelly brings nearly two decades of experience and deep media relations expertise to several major practice areas including strategic positioning, litigation support, and crises and issues management. Daniel has built a diverse client base and advises on acquisitions, bankruptcies, and special situations as well as providing strategic positioning counsel to leading private capital firms. Their promotions reflect the deep pipeline of talent that Kekst CNC has identified and cultivated over decades in the US.
About the New Partners
Kelly Whitten, based in New York, is a communications strategist who focuses on reputation management and develops and drives media narratives across complex, high stakes situations. She also focuses on litigation support as well as crisis preparedness and management. She joined Kekst CNC in 2020 from HL Group, where she served as chief of staff in the firm’s issues management practice after beginning her career at FTI Consulting.
Daniel Hoadley, also based in New York, advises on special situations, M&A, restructurings, and other engagements that require a sophisticated understanding of the investor community and financial markets. His work includes complex change communications, including global business transformations as well as management successions. He joined Kekst CNC in 2021 after working in corporate communications and investor relations at Pearson.
About Kekst CNC
Kekst CNC, the international strategic communications consultancy of Publicis Groupe, has pioneered strategic communications to help its clients achieve their most important business goals for more than 50 years. With offices in the world’s major corporate and financial centres, it uses insight, creativity and judgement to partner with clients seeking to grow, transform or protect their organizations. For more information, visit www.kekstcnc.com.