Edelman has appointed former South Carolina Governor and United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley as Vice Chair, and former U.S. Senator and Ambassador to China, Max Baucus as Senior Advisor, within Edelman Global Advisory (EGA), the firm’s global Public Affairs consultancy.
Haley and Baucus will join Edelman in early September.
Haley held the post of US Ambassador to the United Nations from 2017-18 during the Trump administration after serving two terms as Governor of South Carolina.
Nikki Haley emerged as the most significant challenger to Donald Trump’s bid for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2024, bringing a strong track record and impressive credentials to the table as she launches her campaign. She ended her presidential campaign this March and subsequently backed Trump — whom she once called “unhinged” and said “chaos follows him” — for President.
Since leaving the presidential race, Haley has remained active on various international issues, particularly American support for Israel. In April, she was named the Walter P. Stern Chair at the Hudson Institute nonpartisan think tank. Born in Bamberg, S.C. She is the daughter of Indian immigrants and a graduate of Clemson University.
“Politics has become a critical consideration for clients in brand marketing, employee engagement and reputation management. In her time as Governor, Haley had great success in attracting foreign companies to South Carolina and as Ambassador to the UN, helped lead important work on global issues,” said Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman.
Regarding Baucus, Edelman said, “As the former U.S. Ambassador to China under President Obama, and former U.S. Senator from Montana, Baucus has unique experience on agricultural, trade and tech issues. They will provide clients with unmatched counsel. I am thrilled to have them join the firm.”
Haley said, “In a time of growing complexities in business, policy, and politics—brands need to anticipate what’s coming next. Whether managing a crisis or celebrating a success, industry leaders must be ready to communicate clearly and share their vision forward. I’m excited to join the team at Edelman to help their clients navigate the challenges ahead.”
Baucus said, “I am thrilled to join Edelman, a firm with such a strong legacy that continues to serve as a trusted advisor to so many of the world’s leading companies. I look forward to supporting Edelman’s continued growth and success and putting my policy and international affairs experience to work for clients.”
