Altheide joins from leading U.S. independent G&S Business Communications, a long-time PROI partner

PROI Worldwide today announced Jeff Altheide, based in Chicago, as Global Managing Director. PROI is the world’s largest partnership of leading independent communications agencies with partners in 50 countries.

“As PROI celebrates its 50th anniversary and looks to the future, we believe Jeff will be a superb leader for our partnership.  We are an ambitious organization, where relationships matter. Jeff’s proven leadership of a successful partner agency relationship for 10 years at G&S made him an ideal candidate for the role,” says Clare Parsons, Chair of London and NY based strategic communications firm Lansons. Parsons, who is Global Chairperson of PROI, headed the GMD search committee.

“I’ve experienced first-hand the power of PROI partners in fostering personal, professional and business development for ambitious communications entrepreneurs,” Altheide says. “PROI has never been stronger. I’m looking forward to continuing to build on this exceptional history of success and helping to amplify the voices of the owners, employees and clients of these dynamic entrepreneurial communications businesses around the world.”

Altheide succeeds Allard van Veen, who led the partnership for more than 25 years. As head of his Canadian communications business, van Veen was one of the founding partners of PROI in 1970. In 1993 he evolved into an executive leadership position for the partnership, driving the group’s growth and success for decades.

Altheide recently retired from G&S Business Communications as Chief Operating Officer, having worked for the agency for 39 years. The New York-based communications firm, with 2019 reported revenue of USD$ 30 million, has been active in PROI and worked with a number of other partners in multi-country campaigns for more than 10 years.