NEW YORK — The Weber Shandwick Collective has named new North America, EMEA and APAC corporate affairs heads as part of its new business advisory service, Business & Society Futures.

Peter Carson, a 15-year Weber Shandwick veteran, has been promoted to head of corporate affairs for North America. Carson is credited with helping build and grow Powell Tate, the agency’s public affairs unit in Washington — whose offerings will be part of Business & Society Futures services. 

Greg Prager will serve as head of corporate affairs for EMEA. He also is a longtime member of Weber Shandwick’s team (12 years), most recently serving as managing director of Switzerland and chair of the EMEA corporate practice.

Carolyn Devanayagam, meantime, will lead the APAC corporate practice. She has spent nearly two decades with Weber Shandwick in Asia and the US, most recently serving as an executive VP leading the corporate practice in Singapore.

“Peter, Greg and Carolyn are valued counselors to some of our largest clients. In their new roles, they will broaden the use of data and integrate a wider range of communications, public affairs and business strategy expertise to advise clients at the intersection of business strategy, stakeholder management and public positioning,” said Chris Deri, Weber Shandwick’s chief corporate affairs officer and president of Business & Society Futures group.

“All three will ensure we have the talent, expertise and insights within each of their regions to protect and promote our client’s corporate reputation. Peter, Greg and Carolyn will also work alongside their global colleagues to provide our clients with integrated senior counsel across corporate positioning, public affairs and organizational effectiveness," he said.

The appointments come less than two months after Weber Shandwick announced the creation of Business & Society Futures, which pools experts from across the agency to offer executive counsel.

Business & Society Futures includes specialists from Powell Tate as well as Weber Shandwick’s United Minds and KRC Research who will be working with C-suite leaders on the likes of business strategy, stakeholder expectations and societal impact. The group will offer counsel on pressing issues facing business including talent, new technology, inflation, communications, employee engagement and DEI.

The agency has also pooled a group of senior leaders from outside the agency to bolster the new offering. The long list of Collective Senior Advisors includes Bipartisan Policy Center energy program leader Sasha Mackler; former Yum Brands CCO Jerilan Green; Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights president Kerry Kennedy; former Kamala Harris comms head Ashley Etienne; and National Minority AIDS Council executive director Paul Kawata.