Headland Acquires Shearwater for EU Expansion

Reputation and communications advisory firm Headland has significantly expanded its European footprint by acquiring Shearwater, a strategic political and regulatory consultancy with offices in Brussels and London. This strategic move integrates Shearwater's deep expertise in EU public affairs and regulatory matters into Headland's existing service offering, creating a more comprehensive advisory platform for clients navigating complex international challenges.

The integration of Shearwater's 27-strong team, which includes former officials from the European Commission and UK Government, enhances Headland's capacity to advise blue-chip clients across the UK, EU, and US markets. The combined entity now offers a robust suite of services encompassing reputation management, corporate communications, strategy, public affairs, and regulatory advisory, with particular strengths in global trade, competition, M&A, technology, and environmental policy. This expansion aligns with Headland's broader international growth strategy, further supported by its private equity partner, LDC, who has backed the firm since 2021 and reinvested in 2024.

This acquisition follows Headland's earlier strategic integration of Bladonmore, a digital strategy and brand consultancy based in London and New York, in 2025. The combined group now comprises over 270 professionals operating across London, Brussels, New York, and Madrid. Their collective expertise spans corporate and financial communications, public affairs, policy and regulatory affairs, reputation risk, sustainability, employee engagement, and digital strategy, positioning them as a formidable player in the global advisory sector.

The strategic rationale behind the Shearwater acquisition is rooted in the increasing demand from clients for integrated advice that bridges political, regulatory, corporate, and reputational considerations across diverse international markets. Shearwater's founding partners, including Peter Guilford, bring significant experience from previous roles at firms like GPlus, Hanover, and Portland, alongside in-house government experience. Shearwater will continue to operate under its established brand, led by its founding management team, ensuring continuity for its existing client base.

Dan Mines, CEO of Headland, emphasized the critical importance of the Brussels market for their clientele. "Shearwater is a brilliant business with outstanding people, deep political and regulatory expertise and an impressive international client base," Mines stated. "We already know from working together that our teams share an approach to high-quality, strategic advice and a focus on helping clients navigate complexity." He further highlighted that this integration is a key step in building a more comprehensive international reputation and communications business, enabling the combined entity to offer cohesive political, regulatory, and reputational advice across major global markets.

Peter Guilford, co-founder of Shearwater, expressed enthusiasm for the accelerated growth opportunities presented by joining Headland. "Our clients are increasingly dealing with challenges that cut across politics, regulation, reputation, and across national borders," Guilford commented. "Combining Shearwater’s European regulatory and geopolitical expertise with Headland’s broader reputation and communications capabilities will allow us to offer clients an even more integrated and international perspective." He also noted the strong cultural and strategic alignment already established through prior collaborations.

The consolidation of Headland, Bladonmore, and Shearwater creates a significant entity within the business services sector, capable of addressing the multifaceted needs of global corporations. This move underscores a broader trend in the advisory market towards integrated service offerings that combine deep sector knowledge with cross-border strategic capabilities, particularly in navigating the evolving geopolitical and regulatory environments impacting international trade and technology sectors.