Public relations firm Gina Din sold

David Muriithi, Gina Din Kariuki and Atemi on July 17, 2015. [Wilberforce Okwiri]

Public relations guru Gina Din Kariuki has sold her stake in the company that goes by the same name.

The firm, which has been operating for about two decades, has been acquired by Edelman Kenya, an affiliate of the American communications firm Edelman.

Gina Din has undertaken public relations consultancy for major brands, including Safaricom, Kenya Airways and Barclays, the two brands that perhaps catapulted the company to success.

“Notice is hereby given… that the public relations and marketing consultancy business carried out by Gina Din Corporate Communications… will, subject to fulfillment of certain conditions precedent, be transferred to Edelman Kenya,” said Edelman in a statement Friday.

The global communications firm headquartered in the US has a staff of more than 6,000 people serving clients in more than 60 offices. The firm was founded in 1952 by Dan Edelman.

While Gina Din was a force to reckon with in the public relations industry, the firm appears to have lost the momentum in recent years. This was particularly after it parted ways with Safaricom, when it decided not to pitch for the job in 2012.

This was after more than a decade of doing public relations consultancy for the telco, having walked the journey with Safaricom since its early days.

Kariuki also stepped back from day-to-day running of the business in 2013 when she assumed the position of chairman of the board, and the firm appointed Eddie Wachira as chief executive.

Wachira was later replaced by Lorna Irungu.

Other than the communications agency, Kariuki is the local shareholder in US oil firm Camac Energy, which is licensed to carry out exploration in Kenya.