King Worldwide Launches Global Reputation and Crisis Management Company 'Keyhaven'

LONDON, January 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

DF King Worldwide, the world's leading stakeholder communications group, announces that it has formed Keyhaven, a new company that will meet growing client demand for a service capable of delivering an integrated crisis and reputation response.

Keyhaven is designed to protect and enhance a company's reputation by helping it prepare for crises, manage any crisis effectively and make the most of opportunities that arise from it. Aside from being a logical extension of King's existing services to clients, Keyhaven's main differentiator is the cultural and contextual awareness - and the seniority and experience - of Keyhaven consultants.

Keyhaven is led by John Deverell CBE, an internationally recognised expert in the field of crisis management. He is supported by an advisory team drawn from the highest levels of the international business and public service communities, with the leverage to help resolve any crisis, whatever its scale and wherever it occurs.

Keyhaven will draw on the extensive communications and logistical resources of King Worldwide, which includes the world-class IT infrastructure, security and disaster recovery team that supports NYC311 (New York City's 24/7/365 citizen's information line) and seasoned teams within King subsidiary M:Communications that have managed significant corporate crises across every sector and geography. In addition, the company can draw on a suite of best-in-class technical experts. They specialise in areas such as cyber and information security, social media engagement, IP and brand protection, human rights and anti-corruption compliance, financial crime, health and safety, pandemics, medical and evacuation support, geopolitical and business intelligence, cultural awareness and negotiation training, due diligence and investigations as well as wider security.

John Deverell, Keyhaven's Chief Executive, said:

"The recent months have clearly demonstrated that we live in an ever more uncertain world. A company's failure to take account of the range of risks it faces will lead to increasingly bigger penalties. Its employees, assets, reputation and revenue will be seriously exposed, as well as its licence to operate possibly compromised."

King Worldwide board member and Keyhaven co-founder, Hugh Morrison, added:

"With a global client base of more than 1,000 leading companies, we know that linking effective crisis planning with reputation management answers an increasingly important part of the boardroom agenda. We designed Keyhaven to deliver the intelligence, services and solutions that address this growing demand and are delighted to have been able to attract a leader of John's calibre to head the team."

Notes to Editors

About John Deverell CBE

John is a security expert in the widest sense. From 2009 to 2011 he was Head of Security for Invensys, the global technology provider. Prior to that he reached General officer rank in the British Army where he was a soldier, Special Forces operator, planner and military diplomat in many different theatres of war. His final position while in government service was Senior British Adviser to the US Security Coordinator General Keith Dayton, working with US National Security Adviser General Jim Jones and former Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Quartet Representative, in the Palestinian Territories. He is a counter-terrorist practitioner with extensive experience of Homeland Security issues. In Colombia he advised authorities on their fight against narco-terrorism. In Yemen in the aftermath of 9/11 he played a key part in avoiding war through his initiatives with local forces against terrorism.  In Iraq he was the senior British officer in the Iraq Survey Group and helped disprove the pre-war intelligence on weapons of mass destruction. In Libya he advised top officials on giving up weapons of mass destruction. Back in Britain John was Director of Defence Diplomacy in the M.O.D. and president of the first court martial dealing with abuse of Iraqis by British soldiers.

About Keyhaven

Keyhaven is the specialist global reputation and crisis management division of King Worldwide, with an advisory team drawn from the highest levels of the international business and public service communities and a technical team with specialist experience including cyber and information security, social media engagement, IP and brand protection, human rights and anti-corruption compliance, financial crime, health and safety, pandemics, medical and evacuation support, geopolitical and business intelligence, cultural awareness and negotiation specialists, due diligence and investigations and wider security. (http://www.keyhaven.cc)

About King Worldwide

King Worldwide is the leading global financial communications and stakeholder management firm. Founded in 2007, King Worldwide has prudently acquired companies occupying top-tier positions in their respective areas of critical importance to public companies and those firms servicing them. With offices in New York, Chicago, London, Stockholm, Madrid, Moscow, Dubai, Cape Town, Hong Kong, and Taipei, the firm employs approximately 900 staff and serves over 1,000 corporate, government, mutual fund, and private equity clients.

In a global competitive environment more executive time is being spent communicating to constituents internationally. No other communications group can offer a more comprehensive approach to managing relationships with key corporate stakeholders. (http://www.king-worldwide.com)

For further information:

John Deverell, +44-20-7920-2320, Deverell@keyhaven.cc

Hugh Morrison, +44-20-7920-2334, Morrison@keyhaven.cc

SOURCE Keyhaven