Strategic communications firm Greenbrier becomes part of Fortius
MCM² spins out for political campaign work
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Messina Group (TMG) today announced it has become Fortius Global ("Fortius"), representing the next chapter in the company's growth. Fortius is a global strategic advisory firm that helps ambitious companies, founders, and investors win the political, regulatory, and communications battles that shape their business. Jim Messina remains CEO of Fortius Global and continues to set the vision, strategy, and execution for Fortius and its companies.
"Fortius fights for the ideas that move the world forward," said Jim Messina, CEO of Fortius. "We built this firm to carry forward the innovation and the culture from the 2012 Obama re-election campaign, and now under Fortius, our team can help clients tackle more complex challenges across more disciplines and geographies. For more than a decade, the Messina name carried our mission, but our success has always been driven by the extraordinary partners and people who bring that mission to life every day. Fortius reflects the firm we've become, the global ambitions we share, and the collective strength of the team building our future."
A campaign approach to high-stakes business challenges. Derived from the Latin word for "stronger," the Fortius name reflects a firm built for growth: a deeper bench, a wider reach, and the resilience to support clients through their toughest problems worldwide. The rebrand comes as technological advances and political change reshape the business environment. Artificial intelligence, digital finance, healthcare breakthroughs, and autonomous systems, to name just a few, are reshaping entire industries and reordering the rules that govern them.
Fortius' premise is that winning in regulated or highly competitive markets takes more than having superior technology or products. It takes a strategy that aligns business objectives, political realities, and public opinion. Fortius applies political campaign tactics, clear benchmarks, rigorous data, sharp narratives, and disciplined coalition-building to its clients' regulatory, political, and reputational objectives, whether they are industry challengers or longtime players pursuing their next phase of growth.
Fortius operates as a single, integrated advisory built around five core practice areas: Strategic Advisory; Policy, Regulatory, & Geopolitical Advisory; Mergers & Acquisitions; Campaigns & Coalitions; and Communications.
- Strategic Advisory: Fortius advises companies, executives, and investors on corporate strategy, helping clients anticipate challenges, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to achieve their business objectives. Capabilities include corporate strategy; CEO and board counsel; startup and VC advisory; data and analytics; AI-powered intelligence; and special situations.
- Policy, Regulatory, & Geopolitical Advisory: Fortius helps companies understand and navigate complex political, regulatory, and geopolitical environments, providing intelligence and counsel on changing regulations, market entry, geopolitical risks, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. Capabilities include regulatory strategy and market entry; geopolitical risk; political, legislative, and regulatory intelligence; policy and public affairs; and research and vetting.
- Mergers & Acquisitions: Fortius advises companies on the political, regulatory, stakeholder, and communications dynamics that can determine the outcome of mergers, acquisitions, and other major transactions. Capabilities include strategic and political guidance; political and regulatory stakeholder mapping; transaction narrative and communications; and investor and shareholder intelligence.
- Campaigns & Coalitions: Fortius designs and executes advocacy campaigns and coalitions that build support, mobilize stakeholders, and create the political will needed to drive change. Capabilities include campaign management; coalition building; grassroots mobilization; creator and influencer strategy; stakeholder mapping; and opinion research and polling.
- Communications: Fortius provides strategic communications and reputation counsel to help companies and leaders shape their narratives, reach critical audiences, seize market opportunities, and respond to reputational challenges. Capabilities include strategic communications; political communications; financial communications; narrative development and messaging; media relations; creator and influencer strategy; creative, digital and media buying; reputation and threat monitoring; and crisis preparedness and response.
Greenbrier becomes Fortius' core communications practice. Greenbrier, the strategic communications and public affairs firm acquired by TMG in 2017, will move completely into Fortius. Communications now spans policy, regulatory strategy, GEO and SEO, and creator-driven media, and Fortius is built to cover all of it. Bringing Greenbrier into the Fortius platform means clients get one integrated team.
"This reflects where the work has already gone," said Adrian Durbin, Partner. "Communications stopped being a standalone discipline years ago, and companies still treating it as a separate line item are already behind."
MCM² launches as a dedicated international political brand. As part of the rebrand, Fortius will formally spin out its political campaigns work into MCM² ("MCM Squared"), a wholly owned subsidiary that will house all of the firm's U.S. political work and international campaign work under a single, distinct brand. Since 2013, the team has helped elect more than 15 world leaders across six continents. MCM² draws from the last names of the four principals: Messina, Corrigan, Matsdorf, and Mallet. The move draws a clear line between Fortius' corporate advisory business and its political practice, giving the political team its own identity.
"MCM² gives campaigns an edge," said Ty Matsdorf, Partner. "Our political work has always been distinct from our corporate advisory business, and with its own name and leadership, we are in a stronger position to expand and grow."
Signal and Amplify continue under their own names. Signal Interactive Media (legal media) and Amplify Media Strategy (media buying) will continue operating under their existing brands as independent businesses from Fortius.
An experienced leadership team. Fortius is led by a group of senior practitioners who have spent years advising at the highest level, yet remain just as comfortable rolling up their sleeves to execute the work themselves.
- Jim Messina, CEO: Sets the vision and strategy for Fortius and its companies. Advises companies through their hardest challenges and most critical business decisions. Architect of President Obama's 2012 reelection campaign and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff.
- Nick Buis, Partner: Manages strategic campaigns for political, nonprofit, and corporate clients. Served as General Election Director for Obama's 2012 Florida campaign and later as National Field Director for Mayors Against Illegal Guns.
- Tara Corrigan, COO: Runs Fortius' operations and long-term growth strategy, including acquisitions, along with some of the company's most challenging client work. She spent seven years working for President Barack Obama, including two White House stints, and later led the firm's international campaigns work.
- Adrian Durbin, Partner: Advises companies on corporate reputation, policy positioning, and executive thought leadership. Former Head of Communications at Lyft, where he led communications for the company's IPO, and later a 30-person team.
- Lindsey Kerr, Partner: Leads Fortius' M&A and financial services practice, guiding Fortune 100 companies through high-stakes transactions and government investigations. Previously Chief of Staff to Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Senate Rules Staff Director with deep experience on the Senate floor.
- Heather King, CLO: Built and leads Fortius' legal and governance functions, handling highly sensitive matters where legal exposure and public narrative collide. Former partner at Boies Schiller Flexner and Senior Advisor to Hillary Clinton.
- Liz Lowery, Partner: Leads client strategy across healthcare, energy, and transportation for Fortune 500 companies. Previously Deputy National Finance Director for Obama's 2012 reelection campaign and Finance Director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
- Ty Matsdorf, Partner: Leads both our domestic political work and growing utility and energy practice. Advises individuals and organizations at the highest levels of the Democratic Party and in the regulated utility space. Has served in top roles in the executive and legislative branches, including Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
- Abram Smith, Partner: Leads Fortius' digital assets and fintech work, advising clients from startups to S&P 500 companies. A founding member of Greenbrier, he previously worked on Uber's Policy & Communications team.
- Jim Urdanick, CFO: Leads financial strategy and operations, with deep M&A expertise in diligence, deal execution, and integration. Previously CFO of Repario Data and Controller at AmLaw 100 firm Crowell & Moring.
- Shannon Wheatman, Partner: Leads AI strategy and, as a Partner at Signal Interactive Media, designs legal notice programs for class actions and mass torts. She's one of the most recognized notice experts in the country, and built the firm's Digital Twins methodology for pressure-testing messaging with AI.
"We've spent our careers making sure the best argument wins," said Tara Corrigan, COO. "That's what Fortius does for the companies and ideas we believe in. When you work with us, you get a partner who's in it with you, fighting to win, every time."
Learn More
- Discover the full range of Fortius Global's services at our new homepage.
- Learn about MCM²'s Political Campaign Work.
- Find out more about Signal Interactive Media.
- Explore Amplify Media Strategy.
About Fortius Global
Fortius Global is a strategic advisory firm that combines campaign-tested strategy, political and regulatory expertise, and integrated communications to help organizations win when the stakes are highest. Formerly known as The Messina Group and founded by President Obama's 2012 campaign manager Jim Messina, Fortius is trusted by world leaders and has proven experience working across 32 countries on six continents. Made up of a team of professionals who have operated at the highest levels of politics, government, and business, Fortius knows how these worlds work and interact, and speaks the language of both innovation and governance. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the firm builds, acquires, and partners with cutting-edge companies, including Signal Interactive Media (legal media), MCM² (political campaigns), and Amplify Media Strategy (media buying). Learn more at fortiusglobal.com.
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