ST. LOUIS—FleishmanHillard has launched a global practice on privacy and cyber risk, which will provide clients with a complete range of services to help them cope with data security and privacy challenges. VOX Global, a unit of FleishmanHillard, will provide sector-specific experience and data security expertise through a complementary practice based in Washington, DC.  The practice will provide clients with access to experts in cyber preparedness, privacy, regulatory and legislative affairs, crisis, and employee engagement.

ATLANTA—Laurel Kennedy, a veteran of positions at Edelman and Ketchum, and Paula Hahn, who has worked with Ketchum, Porter Novelli and Marina Maher Communications, have joined forces to launch Blink, a crisis communications agency serving food channel companies. The firm will offer six proprietary products including its Reputation Current Ratio model,  gap analysis, crisis planning, event navigation, real-time crisis simulations, and media coaching.

DELAFIELD, WI—Dean Potratz, the former CEO of Milwaukee marketing communications firm Sargent & Potratz, has launched PeAk Strategic Communications, which will work with life science companies with sales of $5 million or more, providing "business health" analysis, market research, strategic planning, brand development, content marketing, advertising and public relations, traditional and digital marketing campaigns.

PHILADELPHIA—Dan Soulas, former managing director at Ebiquity and former executive VP at ICR/International Communications Research, has formed a new market intelligence and communications insights consultancy, Market Intel Group. “Clients need information quickly, cost-effectively, and, most importantly, clients need deeper intelligence and insights," says Soulas, whose firm will leverage web-based technologies to gather and analyze information about clients’ target markets and provide relevant insights.

CHICAGO—Cision, a leading global media intelligence company, has acquired Viralheat, a top social media engagement platform, reinforcing the company's commitment to expanding its social capabilities. Viralheat's media intelligence software, which includes rich analytics, will help digital marketers and communicators improve their marketing while strengthening data-driven decision making.