“Commerce defies every wind, outrides every tempest, and invades every zone.”
— George Bankroft
Who we are.
We are a multidisciplinary, apolitical consulting firm, founded by Ambassador Lana Marks and Martin Marks, that knows the importance of greater understanding, dialogue, and communication. We believe that everything is in the details, while never losing sight of the whole. We aren’t just about business-to-business, communications, or strategy — we are passionate about fostering relationships, pairing our partners with the best companies, the best technology, and the best people. We don’t think outside the box. For us, there is no box.
Our Mission.
We are committed to creating jobs, to sustaining partnerships, to cultivating responsibility just as much as growing opportunity. We believe that there should be no boundaries to the prosperity of all peoples — no matter what their race, creed, religion, gender, sexual identity or orientation. We are passionately devoted to women’s and youth empowerment, to clean air and water, to sustainable energy alternatives, to responsible development. We believe that the world is a stakeholder of every business, and that commerce is the solution and not the problem. And we believe that all of this can be achieved not just through governments— it can be achieved through private industry.
Our approach.
Whether you’re a nominee new to a particular role or a CEO venturing into the public arena for the first time, we cater to the immediate needs of the client, the particular occasions, and the exigencies of the moment. With a focus on the details, we create strategic continuity, plotting a larger arc, all the while paying careful attention to the process. Within the business arena, we work to navigate all obstacles, mustering the full potential of a chosen industry.
Commitment. Passion. Trust.
We wholeheartedly embrace the ethos that draws people to the public sector, and our mission is to ensure that the resources and talent that motivate people to this sphere. Carrying over from this tradition of service, we believe strongly in facilitating an atmosphere of comity — in whatever way we can. We will help weather the toughest storms, no matter what those storms may be.
Communicating in Narratives.
The telling of the story is just as important as the story itself; the process oftentimes tends to be far greater, and have far more nuance, than the result. We know how to capture the essence of the narrative — whether it be personal or policy — and are able to convey this narrative to a larger audience. This framework can serve to focus future work, and helps drive strategy and implementation throughout the process.
Ethics.
We believe strongly in appropriate ethical means and moral choices. Inasmuch, we may not and will not represent, aid, or advise any foreign governments or foreign political parties with the intent to influence a decision of an employee of a US department or agency, at least until January 2022. Additionally, we may not and will not make any communication to or appearance before a State Department or any agency official to seek official action on behalf of any other person, also at least until 2022.