Star Metro - Holder Partners Launches Strategic Communications Practice and Appoints Ali Ponte as Director and Practice Lead

MIAMI, FL / ACCESS Newswire / October 29, 2026 / Holder Partners, a multidisciplinary consulting and advisory firm, today announced the launch of its Strategic Communications practice and the appointment of Ali Ponte as Director and Practice Lead.

The practice advises leading companies and institutions, their boards, senior executives and counsel on communications, reputation and stakeholder considerations in complex matters and periods of significant change or opportunity. Each engagement is tailored to the client's objectives and, where relevant, draws on Holder Partners' broader advisory capabilities. Its strategic counsel, informed by research and analysis, helps clients assess the implications of a matter, anticipate stakeholder responses and communicate clearly and effectively.

That work includes crisis preparedness and response, communications counsel for disputes, investigations and cyber incidents, as well as tailored plans for transactions and significant organizational change. It also helps organizations and senior leaders clarify what they want to be known for, identify priority stakeholders and decide how best to engage them.

"Many of the matters our clients face sit at the intersection of communications, risk, reputation and broader business considerations," said Frank Holder, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Holder Partners. "Launching this practice reflects the firm's growth and a growing need for communications advice grounded in an understanding of the facts, risks and stakeholders involved. Ali's experience in institutional positioning, executive engagement and strategic relationship-building strengthens our ability to advise clients on these issues."

"Strategic Communications begins with understanding the environment in which an organization operates: who can influence a situation, what interests are at stake and which decisions may shape its course," said Ali Ponte. "That understanding guides our advice on positioning, communications and stakeholder engagement. We work with clients as they face heightened scrutiny, pursue transactions, enter new markets or strengthen their institutional profile."

Building on Previous Work

The practice builds on Holder Partners' work in strategic communications and stakeholder advisory for clients in complex business and institutional environments. The firm has advised senior executives on positioning during leadership transitions and periods of expansion; developed strategies for engaging business, government and investment stakeholders; and supported international initiatives and executive dialogues tied to client objectives.

Ali Ponte

He leads Holder Partners' Strategic Communications practice, bringing more than a decade of experience in building cross-sector relationships, shaping institutional positioning, and engaging executives.

Before joining Holder Partners, he was Head of Strategic Growth at the International Economic Forum of the Americas (IEFA), a global platform for economic dialogue. In that role, he led the development of strategic partnerships and convened corporate leaders, government officials, financial institutions, law firms, and institutional investors through executive dialogues and thought leadership programs aligned with participating organizations' priorities.

Earlier in his career, he served as a Business Development Executive for the Province of New Brunswick, Canada, where he worked to attract foreign direct investment and strengthen the province's international profile. His experience across energy, infrastructure, finance, technology, and trade reflects a career connecting commercial opportunities with institutional priorities across borders.

About Holder Partners

Holder Partners is a multidisciplinary consulting and advisory firm serving companies, investors, legal counsel, governments, and private clients across the Americas and internationally. The firm's expertise spans investigations and forensic accounting; cybersecurity and data science; due diligence and compliance; expert testimony and litigation support; organizational change; and strategic communications, reputation and stakeholder advisory.

For more information about Holder Partners' Strategic Communications practice, visit: https://holderpartners.com

Media Contact
Michelle Duenas
Marketing Director
Holder Partners
[email protected]
602.568.0769

SOURCE: Holder Partners

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

D.Fraser--SMC