Fouad Boutros
Managing Director
For nearly 10 years, Fouad has provided strategic communications counsel to companies on a wide range of special situations, including crisis management, mergers and acquisitions, shareholder activism defense and management changes. He has also assisted clients with ongoing investor relations and corporate communications.
Throughout his tenure at Joele Frank, Fouad has gained a sophisticated understanding of clients/client industries and public markets (key financial indicators, investment theses and competitive landscapes); persuasive writing; developing and delivering informed advice; articulating complex financial and strategic rationale to investment community and other stakeholders; engaging in an official, strategic capacity with key financial media. He develops creative, results-oriented communications materials and strategies to engage constituencies, and has significant experience in high-intensity, event-driven situations requiring strategic counsel and media engagement.
Recent Highlights
Select Experience
M&A / Transactions
He has advised clients on a number of friendly transactions, including: Scale AI in its significant minority investment by Meta; Juniper Networks in its sale to Hewlett Packard Enterprise; Mailchimp in its acquisition by Intuit; NRG Energy in its acquisition of LS Power’s premier power portfolio; First Republic in its sale to JPMorgan Chase; CyrusOne in its sale to KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners; Labcorp and its spin-off of its Clinical Development Business; Grubhub in its acquisition by Just Eat Takeaway; Thoma Bravo in its acquisition of Anaplan; Aerojet Rocketdyne in its sale to L3Harris; Herman Miller in its acquisition of Knoll; Cornerstone OnDemand in its acquisition by Clearlake Capital; International Flavors & Fragrances in its acquisition of Frutarom; Dun & Bradstreet in its take private transaction; Parker Hannifin in its acquisition of LORD; Exact Sciences in its acquisition of Genomic Health; and Achillion in its acquisition by Alexion Pharmaceuticals. He also has experience advising on unsolicited transactions, including CIRCOR in its defense against an unsolicited offer from Crane Co. and Prologis in its successful acquisition of Duke Realty.
Crisis Management
He assists management teams and boards of directors on a variety of crisis and litigation situations including natural disasters, workplace violence, unplanned leadership changes, cybersecurity breaches, environmental issues, regulatory inquiries, internal / Board investigations, earnings surprises, financial restatements and reputational attacks. Recently, he has also worked with clients on a variety of issues related to COVID-19, including workforce-related actions and financial and operational updates.
Shareholder Activism
He has supported a number of companies in public activism situations as well as proxy contests. In his experience, he has advised companies facing Elliott Management, Engine Capital Management, JANA Partners, Sachem Head Capital Management, Anson Funds, Ortelius Advisors, Sarissa Capital Management, Starboard Value, ValueAct Capital, Corvex Management, Gabelli Asset Management and Icahn Enterprises. He has also advised clients in situations where an activist agitates privately, helping them develop preparedness plans around escalating scenarios, including public attack.
Investor Relations and Public Relations
He works with public companies to enhance their overall communications strategy, including corporate positioning, quarterly earnings preparation, thought leadership activities and employee communications.
In Conversation
Personal Side
Outside of work, I serve on the advisory board of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on advancing social and economic opportunity across the Middle East, providing strategic guidance on program development and impact. In 2020, I also co-founded a sister charity aimed at supporting grassroots initiatives in the region. Together, these organizations work to foster inclusive development, empower local communities and drive long-term, sustainable change. In my free time, I am most at home in the mountains or on the trail. I’m an avid skier, biker and hiker, always chasing the next adventure – and usually capturing it behind the lens. Photography is a passion of mine and a natural extension of how I experience the outdoors. My constant sidekick is Tater, my dog and trail buddy, who’s never far from the action.
In the News
Credentials
Fouad joined Joele Frank in 2017. He received a BA in Communication from Boston College where his coursework focused on crisis communications, finance and public relations.