Kelsey Markovich
Partner
Life at FGS Global
Co-leads FGS Global's shareholder activism defense practice. Advises on high stakes, complex situations, including M&A, activism, leadership transitions, IPOs & crises. Member of the firm's Sports Practice, advising primarily on transaction in sports franchises and sports-adjacent businesses.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Supported corporate clients, asset managers and high profile individuals on financial and crisis communications for over a decade at predecessor firm, Sard Verbinnen.
Life Beyond FGS Global
A native Cape Codder in constant pursuit of satisfying her sweet tooth (a byproduct of growing up in her mom's candy store). Happiest on the beach with a book, running along NYC's west side, or sipping an old fashioned at a bar with her husband.
Kelsey is a Partner in the New York office where she co-leads FGS Global’s shareholder activism defense and preparedness practice. She advises management teams and boards on complex, high-stakes transactions and special situations affecting reputation and market value, including M&A, shareholder activism defense, IPOs, leadership changes and crises. She also works with numerous private equity firms, and spends a considerable amount of time in FGS Global’s Sports Practice, advising primarily on investments in sports franchises and sports-adjacent businesses.
Kelsey has provided strategic communications counsel to numerous clients on shareholder activism defense and high-stakes shareholder votes. She has particular expertise in leading campaigns that maximize retail shareholder engagement. Notable mandates include: Tesla’s Board on the successful ratification of Elon Musk’s 2018 compensation plan and redomestication from Delaware to Texas; Harley-Davidson on its defense against a withhold vote campaign by H Partners; Nano Dimension on its defense against Murchinson; Herbalife on its defense against Pershing Square; Wynn Resorts on its defense against a withhold vote campaign by Elaine Wynn; and GeoPark on its defense against a proxy fight waged by its Co-Founder and Former Chairman.
She has also advised on numerous transactions, IPOs, and other special situations, including: Warner Music Group’s IPO on the Nasdaq; VIZIO’s IPO on the NYSE and subsequent acquisition by Walmart; Takata on its global airbag inflator recall and corporate restructuring; Wynn surrounding sexual harassment allegations against its Founder, including regulatory issues around the opening of Encore Boston Harbor; and Zoom across a number of matters, including crisis and reputation management, public affairs, litigation, and transaction and financial communications.
Kelsey graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors from Wake Forest University with a B.A. in Communications.