Octagon (Octagon Worldwide Inc.) and GolinHarris have announced a partnership, creating Octagon PR, a unit focused specifically on sports public relations strategy, ideation and execution. The new alliance brings together two Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG) agencies that are leaders in their respective fields-Octagon and GolinHarris. The Octagon PR team will include public relations professionals and sports marketing and management experts in major markets including: Chicago, New York, Boston, Connecticut, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Columbus, Houston, London, Taiwan and Hong Kong, among other locations. Gary Rudnick, Managing Director of GolinHarris' central region and the firm's Chicago headquarters office also will serve as President of Octagon PR. He will work closely with Octagon Marketing North America President Jeff Shifrin, supported by a team of public relations and sports management professionals.

Golin/Harris International Inc. announced that Sarah Devaney as executive vice president and group director of the consumer brands practice. Devaney will oversee the growing consumer brands team in Chicago. Before joining the company, Delaney spent the last four years as Director, Global Brand PR and Corporate Communications at Beam Global Spirits & Wine. A Prior to Beam, Sarah was a senior vice president in Edelman Chicago's consumer division.

GolinHarris has announced the launch of a new global brand, GolinHarris Public Affairs, which will take a different approach to public affairs by focusing on the use of digital platforms that when combined with traditional public affairs tactics such as lobbying, grassroots and grass tops, will help clients shape policy agenda. Lane Bailey, who currently heads the Washington, D.C. office, has been named president of GolinHarris Public Affairs. Susan Corsini, deputy managing director, will assume the role of managing director.