Award Winning Investor Relations Officer Adds to Edelman’s IR Capabilities
Edelman today announced the arrival of Debra Wasser as executive vice president, financial communications & special situations. Wasser most recently served as senior vice president, investor relations and corporate communications for Veeco Instruments, Inc. (Nasdaq: VECO; $1.5B market capitalization clean technology company). Wasser will lead Edelman’s investor relations practice in New York and advise clients globally on investor relations (“IR”) and financial communications issues. She will report to Lex Suvanto, managing director, financial communications & special situations.
Wasser was a recipient of the IR Magazine Award for “Best IRO,” Small Capitalization Company, as well as a top-ranked investor relations officer in her sector according to Institutional Investor. Ms. Wasser was also appointed to the National Investor Relations Institute Senior Roundtable.
“Our financial communications practice is growing rapidly with a substantial team of specialized professionals in the U.S. who help clients navigate sensitive issues related to the capital markets,” said Suvanto. “Deb brings deep expertise in strategic investor relations that will further strengthen our capabilities in this important growth area. The Edelman team is excited to work with Deb as we continue to build our financial communications and special situations practice.”
“Edelman has made significant investments in building a world-class strategic and financial communications business,” said Wasser. “I’m thrilled to join this impressive team and look forward to accelerating growth of the investor relations practice in New York and helping to support clients around the globe. It’s exciting to return to my roots as a communications consultant, and I can think of no place better to do that than Edelman.”
Wasser’s arrival builds on other recent hires Edelman has made to expand its financial communications practice. This includes Brett Philbin, former reporter at the Wall Street Journal, Rebecca Kral, former proxy solicitor at D.F. King & Co., Inc., and Chad Tendler, former communications director at Dow Jones Asia and Brunswick. In 2014, Edelman also expanded its financial communications & special situations practice in Canada with the hire of David Ryan, who joined the firm after spending 10 years at one of Canada’s leading financial and corporate communications consultancies.
This growing team has allowed Edelman to continue to expand its transaction work and increase its rankings in the Mergermarket PR league tables report (Edelman 2014 ranking as of third quarter appears below).
- In the U.S., Edelman increased from No. 12 to No. 9 in volume
- Globally, Edelman rose from No. 11 to No. 9 in volume
During her 17-year tenure as head of investor relations at Veeco, Wasser was the first line of communications between the company and Wall Street. She also led the company’s communications programs including media relations and marketing communications. Wasser successfully led communications through a variety of situations including periods of significant growth, one CEO transition and two CFO transitions, a major accounting review, several new market introductions as well as organizational restructurings and a company rebranding. Wasser also led communications for transformational M&A transactions, strategic alliances and major equity and debt financings. Wasser oversaw a global IR program that substantially increased the company’s analyst coverage as well as long term and international shareholder base.
Prior to Veeco, Wasser was vice president of Dewe Rogerson Inc. in New York where she ran the firm’s U.S. IR client base, focused on healthcare, high-tech, consumer products, financial services, publishing and general industry. During her tenure at the firm, she also serviced clients across the globe and helped grow the firm from 4 to 80 employees.
About Edelman Financial Communications & Special Situations
Edelman financial communications & special situations is a boutique strategic consultancy with the reach and resources of the world’s largest public relations firm. We advise public and private companies on strategic and capital markets communications to help effectively position them with the financial community during transformative events as well as during normal-course business. Visit us at: www.edelmanfincomms.com
About Edelman
Edelman is the world’s largest public relations firm, with more than 5,000 employees in 65 cities, as well as affiliates in more than 35 cities. Edelman was named one of Advertising Age’s “A-List Agencies” in both 2010 and 2011, and an “Agency to Watch” in 2014; Adweek’s “2011 PR Agency of the Year;” PRWeek’s “2011 Large PR Agency of the Year;” and The Holmes Report’s “2013 Global Agency of the Year” and its 2012 “Digital Agency of the Year.” Edelman has been awarded seven Cannes Lions including the Grand Prix for PR in 2014. Edelman was named one of the “Best Places to Work” by Advertising Age in 2010 and 2012 and among Glassdoor’s “Best Places to Work” in 2011, 2013 and 2014. Edelman owns specialty firms Edelman Berland (research), Edelman Deportivo (creative), Blue (advertising), BioScience Communications (medical communications) and agency Edelman Significa (Brazil).
For more information, contact:
Michael Bush
michael.bush@edelman.com