Ray Kotcher is a Senior Partner and the Chief Executive Officer of Ketchum, a unit of Omnicom Group and one of the world’s largest public relations agencies.
Ray joined Ketchum as Vice President in 1983, was appointed President of the agency in 1992, and in June 2000 was named CEO. In 2009, Ray led one of the largest mergers ever in the public relations industry when Ketchum and Pleon combined operations, creating one of the largest, most geographically diverse public relations agencies in the world, with over 100 worldwide locations on six continents, and the leading communications consultancy in Europe.
Ray has grown the agency through other strategic acquisitions such as Access Communications, a highly regarded consumer and B-to-B technology specialist PR agency, and by joining forces with MMG, a clinical-trial-recruitment agency owned by Omnicom. He also has helped the agency organically build four leading-edge communications businesses: Emanate, a rapidly growing public relations network; Concentric Communications, an experiential- and event-marketing agency; Zócalo Group, a word-of-mouth marketing agency; and Ketchum Sports and Entertainment, a sports marketing and entertainment and pop-culture marketing group. In addition, Ray has helped lead the development of five critical agency offerings: Ketchum Digital, CEO Accelerator, Ketchum Energy, Women 25to54, and Ketchum Influencer Relationship Management.
During Ray’s tenure as CEO, the agency has been widely recognized, as has the work it does in partnership with its clients. Ketchum holds the most Public Relations Society of America Silver Anvils, the U.S. industry’s highest honor, of any agency (112), and has added 49 from 2001 to 2009. In 2009, Ketchum was recognized with accolades typically reserved for ad agencies. Ketchum won more Clio Awards than any other PR agency, being honored with one Gold Clio (Häagen-Dazs), two Silver Clios (The Clorox Company and Lenovo) and one Bronze Clio (Liberty Mutual). The agency also received one of the first-ever strategic communications and public relations awards at the Cannes International Advertising Festival for its work with Häagen-Dazs. Additionally, in 2009, Ketchum’s work for IKEA was honored with the Campaign of the Year award by PRWeek, and just this year the Holmes Report honored the agency’s work for the “Doritos Crashes the Super Bowl” program as the Campaign of the Decade.
Ray frequently speaks and writes on a range of public relations issues, such as globalization, technology advancement and the shifting media landscape. In 2008 and 2009, he served as chair of the Council of Public Relations Firms, one of two people to serve consecutive terms. He also is a vice president, a member of executive committee and a member of the board of trustees of the Arthur W. Page Society. And he is a member of PR Seminar and the board of directors of Nile Rodgers’s We Are Family Foundation, a leading nonprofit dedicated to building understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity.
Ray received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the State University of New York at Geneseo and serves as a trustee of the Geneseo Foundation board. He holds a Master of Science in public relations from Boston University's College of Communication, has been appointed to serve on the college’s executive committee, and has been honored by the university as a distinguished alumnus. He also had the honor of being invited to give the commencement address to the College of Communication class of 2006, a speech that was published in the July 2006 edition of Vital Speeches of the Day.
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