Agency Experts provides communications agency leaders with independent, high-level second opinions – from industry insiders for industry insiders.
The communications business is shaped by constant change: growth and downsizing, crises, M&A, client pressure, and the ongoing war for talent. At the same time, confidential peer exchange is limited, and many traditional consultants lack deep understanding of the agency environment.
Agency Experts brings together experienced agency owners, managing directors, and international network executives who advise peers across markets and disciplines. We offer cross-border, cross-market guidance – in person, online, or on-site when required.
Our mission is to strengthen the success, resilience, and quality of communications consultancies. In addition to executive coaching and strategic advisory, we support the implementation of quality management systems, including international standards such as CMS and ISO.
What makes us unique: All listed experts currently run – or have successfully led – an agency. Many hold leadership roles in industry bodies, international networks, academia, and are recognized authors and keynote speakers.
Use our free “Find Experts” search tool or contact us directly to identify the right advisor for your specific challenges.
Every communications consultancy has its own working methods, culture, and style – its unique “operating system.” While this individuality is a valuable asset in the creative industry, sustainable success requires structured processes and clear standards.
To build a resilient, quality-driven consultancy, recurring processes must be standardized and organizations must be able to learn from mistakes systematically. When internal structures are aligned with recognized international quality, business and ethics standards, service excellence and economic success go hand in hand.
A professional Quality Management System (QMS) ensures clear responsibilities, efficient decision-making, and structured HR and project management processes. This improves operational efficiency, reduces risks, and increases both client and employee satisfaction.
Implementing recognized industry standards – such as ICCO’s Consultancy Management Standard (CMS) or ISO frameworks – also strengthens internal structures and supports the strategic goals of agency owners and management. In addition, it facilitates collaboration with international partners and demanding clients who rely on shared quality benchmarks.
We support consultancies in developing and implementing tailor-made quality management systems that reflect their actual workflows and business realities. Together, we identify operational risks, establish effective control processes, and introduce continuous improvement mechanisms to enhance service quality and business performance.
Our experts help design practical guidelines, governance structures, and monitoring systems that align with all levels of management and operations.
With a robust quality management system in place, your consultancy will be well prepared for increasing client expectations as well as external audits, awards, and certification processes.
Contact us to find the quality management expert or consultant that best fits your organization’s needs.
Quality gaps and unethical practices continue to damage trust in parts of the communications industry – despite long-standing international standards and ethical codes.
Leading agencies address this by implementing structured quality management systems, training their teams accordingly, and undergoing independent audits. Certified consultancies set benchmarks for professionalism, transparency, and ethical conduct – and are often required to meet such standards for membership in industry bodies.
If you aim to position your agency among the best, we recommend adopting a recognized framework such as the international Consultancy Management Standard (CMS), developed by ICCO and PRCA. Our accredited experts support the full preparation and certification process in line with ISO 19011 guidelines.
CMS certification confirms compliance with the highest business and ethical standards and is renewed every two years. It reviews financial stability, operational quality, transparency, efficiency, and crisis preparedness.
Ready to elevate your agency’s quality and performance? Our Agency Experts and certified auditors are here to support you.
Many of the experts listed at Agency Experts provide workshops, seminars and training programmes for executives and consultants in communications agencies. They also offer certified quality management courses to train in-house quality managers. Our experts design tailor-made training programmes based on the specific challenges and business needs of your consultancy. They also participate as lecturers and examiners in our certified quality manager and auditor development courses. In addition to customised training, we offer the following certified courses for the communications industry: • Training Course: “Certified Sustainability Communications Expert” This established programme provides expert knowledge required to communicate on sustainability issues for companies, brands and products. Developed together with experts from climate protection and consumer NGOs. • Training Course: “Certified Agency Quality Manager” This established programme provides the knowledge required to implement quality management systems in communications consultancies and to prepare agencies for external audits and quality certifications. Participants complete an examination and receive the internationally recognised “Certified Agency Quality Manager” certificate. • Training Course: “Certified Agency Auditor” Certified Agency Quality Managers can continue their professional development by qualifying as certified business and quality auditors for communications consultancies. The course focuses on planning and conducting audits and quality certifications based on international standards such as CMS – Consultancy Management Standard, ISO certifications and national PR trust seal systems. • Executive Training Our experts also offer individual executive training and guest lectures for existing education and training programmes in the communications industry. Contact us to discuss your training needs or to request trainer proposals.
The business world of communications consultancies is spinning faster and faster. Changes at strategy and management level need to be implemented instantly to stay competitive at the market.
Larger transition processes, which need to be implemented parallel to the day-to-day business, often call for management support from external experts. Sometimes, only a few strategy consulting sessions are enough to set-up a change management programme and its milestone.
On other occasions, independent external project leaders and interim managers entirely focused on the change process are the best solution to reach the goals.
Experts for such interim assignments are to be found here and can be hired for following working areas and projects:
• Restructuring processes
• Merger & Acquisitions
• Preparation of selling processes
• Business integration
• Internal change communications
• Succession and Generation change
• Growth management
• Downsizing
• Substitutes for unplanned absences
• Market entries
• Development of new country organisations or branches
• Name and brand changes
To handle such challenges, experienced experts and managers are needed and can be found here at "Agency Experts".
Please, contact us for proposals or further assistance. Confidentiality guaranteed.
Our international expert network here at "Agency Experts" is also very helpful when searching for keynote speakers, lecturers, panellist or round table participants with a professional background in the communications industry.
The speakers to be found here are CEOs, Founders, Entrepreneurs, Investors, agency managers and experts from all communications disciplines, like advertising, marketing, public relations, digital and social media, video etc. You will also be able to find sustainability experts here, people experienced in corporate social responsibility, politics experts, motivation trainers and innovation leaders.
You can expert inputs to topics talent and change management, leadership principles, business development and industry challenges and trends of all kind.
Should you be looking for an international speaker at your next industry event, look at our database in the sector "Keynote Speaker", or just give a call.
We are ready to assist you with the expert search completely free of charge!
Every executive in a communications agency can benefit from the outside perspective of a competent advisor from time to time. However, not all business consultants and auditors know and understand the nuances of the communications industry. While you may be able to share some insights about your business with fellow agency leaders, you likely find yourself limited in what can be discussed, due to confidentiality restrictions and competitive reasons.
To solve this problem, the Agency Experts platform offers experienced business and executive consultants who are native PR and communications professionals (consultancy owners, managing directors, senior executives). Our experts advise agency managers from other markets or disciplines within the communications industry. We offer cross-market, cross-border, cross-company and cross-continental guidance. This can be accessed through 1:1 coaching, online and telephone consulting, and on-site engagement as needed.
Our mission is to make communications consultancies and their managers more successful and to improve the overall resiliency and quality of the PR industry. In addition to individual coaching and management consulting services, we facilitate the implementation of quality management programs, serving as auditors for the international Consultancy Management Standard (CMS) quality certification of ICCO (International Communications Consultancy Organisation) or the ISO scheme.
Agency Experts also provides selected independent quality management experts and certification auditors who have extensive experience in auditing communications.
These auditors and experts are skilled in developing and implementing certified quality management systems within agencies and also conducting audits according to international industry standards, such as the CMS - Consultancy Management Standard of ICCO (International Communications Consultancy Organisation).
Our goal is to increase the number of quality certified communications agencies and to improve business success and crisis resilience in the communications industry.
The Agency Experts organisation provides this free service to agency leaders seeking professional advice from business consultants with a strong background in the communications industry.
This online platform operates independently and is supported exclusively through the membership fees of participating consultants, with no paid content or advertising. We base the selection of experts solely on their qualifications and recommendations from respected industry organisations. The use of data and information provided here for any third-party activities or purpose is strictly forbidden.
Agency Experts was founded in 2019 by individual senior agency management experts and a group of quality auditors (see team & experts). It is a private project of the individual professionals involved and is not affiliated with their employers or any other communications agency, agency network or media house.
While the use of this online service and the actual matchmaking platform is entirely free of charge for users, all resulting consulting service relationships will be based on fees and expenses individually agreed upon in written form before any billable consulting services begin.
Only experienced executives with a proven track record leading an agency in the industry (PR, advertising, marketing, digital), are chosen to become members of the international Agency Experts network. As a result, you will only work with highly qualified professionals who understand your business inside and out.
Preferred, selected Experts are also industry thought leaders who have played an active role in national or international industry organisations. Such experts are widely known for a deep understanding of the values of global and cross-company cooperation, quality, and business ethics.
Does your experience align with the criteria of our Agency Experts? Are you ready to share your expertise as a consultant with other agency professionals in other countries or markets? If so, please send us your CV, preferably along with a recommendation by an existing member of the Agency Experts network or your national communications industry organisation.
We will respond to you as soon as possible and provide any available opportunities and membership information.
