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For-profit

Orchestra

Website:

www.orchestraco.com/
Type:

For-profit firm
Affiliated with:

BerlinRosen
Founders:

Jonathan Rosen

Valerie Berlin

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Orchestra, formerly BerlinRosen Holdings, is a portfolio company that owns several Democratic consulting firms. The company is owned by O2 Investment Partners, a private equity firm that specializes in niche industries. As of 2025, Orchestra owns eight left-of-center and Democratic communications and political consulting firms in the United States and Europe and is anchored by BerlinRosen, a large public relations and campaign communications consulting firm headquartered in New York City that works for Democratic campaigns, progressive nonprofit organizations, and labor unions, with a focus on New York. Jonathan Rosen and Valerie Berlin, the founders of BerlinRosen, lead Orchestra as the CEO and executive chair respectively. The firm also owns the Civitas Public Affairs Group. 1 2 3 4

Background

Orchestra was formed around early 2022 as BerlinRosen Holdings, a holding company founded by Jonathan Rosen and Valerie Berlin, the partners behind left-of-center communications firm BerlinRosen. The company began to acquire majority stakes in political consulting and communications firms. In 2022, O2 Investment Partners, a private equity firm specializing in investments in “lower middle market B2B services, technology, and select industrial companies,” announced that it had invested in BerlinRosen to further aid the company’s growth. Terms of the investment were not disclosed. 5

BerlinRosen was founded in 2005 by left-of-center New York political operatives Jonathan Rosen and Valerie Berlin. The firm was closely tied to the administration of former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) and was notable for its work on the Service Employees International Union’s Fight for $15 minimum wage and fast food restaurant unionization campaign. The firm has since grown to operate on a national scale and is among the largest public relations and communications consulting forms on the political left. In 2022 the firm reported having over 270 employees in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. 6 7 5

Rebranding

In 2024, it was announced that BerlinRosen Holdings, then identified as a “portfolio company of O2 Investment Partners,” would rebrand as “Orchestra,” a network of eight agencies with more than 600 employees and 12 offices in North America and Europe. 3

Affiliated Firms

At the time of BerlinRosen’s rebranding as “Orchestra” in 2024, eight firms were announced as being under the Orchestra umbrella, which owns and operates the firms and is committed to integrating their services across industries. 8

In addition to BerlinRosen, the flagship firm of Orchestra, the initial firms operated by the holding company included Inkhouse, Derris, M18, Glen Echo Group, Onward, Message Lab, and Brightmode. 8

Inkhouse, founded by Beth Monaghan in 2007, is a public relations firm that provides media and content strategy for clients in technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, venture capital, climate tech, and education. 8

Derris, founded by Jesse Derris and Lisa Frank, focuses on brand strategy for corporate clients. 8

M18, co-founded by Michael Tavani, is a firm specializing in public relations and communications for real estate, architecture, and hospitality projects, creating campaigns to promote properties and brands. 8

Glen Echo Group, founded by Maura Corbett, is a left-of-center firm working on tech policy and advocacy communications, focusing on lobbying and communications in the technology sector. 8

Onward, founded by Thaly Germain, is a firm providing consulting services to organizations on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), offering training and strategy development. 8

Message Lab, founded by Ben Worthen, is a content marketing firm that creates editorial content, combining journalism, design, and data analysis to shape corporate narratives. 8

Brightmode, launched by BerlinRosen Holdings in 2022, is a talent recruitment agency that focuses on hiring for creative, media, and communications roles. 8

In 2024, Orchestra acquired the Civitas Public Affairs Group, another left-of-center consulting firm whose public affairs clients have included the Ford Foundation, Autism Speaks, and Planned Parenthood. 4

Also in 2024, Orchestra acquired Small Girls PR, a firm focusing on “earned media strategies, experiential, influencer marketing and media relations.” The firm’s clients have included General Electric, Snapchat, and Jack in the Box. 9

In 2025, it was announced that the political media firm Versus Media Group had launched under the Orchestra umbrella as a rebrand of BerlinRosen’s political TV and digital ad division. 10

References

  1. “Team.” Orchestra. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.orchestraco.com/team
  2. Hartzer, Bill. “Meet Orchestra: The Powerhouse Network Redefining the Future of Communications.” Billhartzer.com. March 25, 2024. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.billhartzer.com/marketing/meet-orchestra-the-powerhouse-network-redefining-the-future-of-communications/
  3. “BerlinRosen Holdings Rebrands as Orchestra.” O2 Investment Partners, LP. April 2024. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://o2investment.com/news/berlinrosen-holdings-rebrands-as-orchestra/
  4. Hawkins, Eleanor. “Exclusive: PR giant Orchestra acquires Civitas Public Affairs Group.” Axios. September 19, 2024. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.axios.com/2024/09/19/orchestra-acquires-civitas-public-affairs-group
  5. “O2 Invests in BerlinRosen.” Businesswire. January 31, 2022. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220131005089/en/O2-Invests-in-BerlinRosen
  6. McMorris, Bill. “The One Percenters Behind Fast Food Protests.” Washington Free Beacon. September 04, 2014. Accessed March 19, 2025. http://freebeacon.com/issues/the-one-percenters-behind-fast-food-protests/
  7. Barron, Seth. “Untangling the mess that is de Blasio’s scandal-ridden administration.” New York Post. December 17, 2016. Accessed March 19, 2025. http://nypost.com/2016/12/17/untangling-the-mess-that-is-de-blasios-scandal-ridden-administration
  8. “BerlinRosen Holdings is now Orchestra.” Orchestra. PR Newswire. March 25, 2024. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/berlinrosen-holdings-is-now-orchestra-302098315.html
  9. Hawkins, Eleanor. “Orchestra buys Small Girls PR firm in expansion push.” Axios. September 19, 2024. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.axios.com/2024/10/17/orchestra-buys-small-girls-pr-firm-in-expansion-push
  10. Blanchard, Jack. “Playbook: Trump’s market meltdown.” March 11, 2025. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2025/03/11/trumps-market-meltdown-00223296
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