Peter Finn on Building an Agency With a Heart and a Conscience

At a moment when the communications industry is grappling with consolidation, layoffs, and real uncertainty, Peter Finn stands out as a steady voice and a values-led builder. The founder and CEO of FINN Partners recently joined the PR Masters Podcast to reflect on his career and what it takes to create an agency designed for the long term.

Finn has spent his entire career in public relations. He entered the industry in 1977, joining an agency his father, David Finn, had started. Over time, Peter rose through leadership roles, including serving as co-CEO of an iconic PR firm. By 2011, he said he knew it was time to introduce a new kind of communications agency into the world, one shaped by a compelling vision and guiding values.

FINN Partners was born from a belief that purpose could be more than a slogan. Peter has described it as a transformational force in the agency’s development, rooted in the idea that an agency with a heart and a conscience could prove that high performance and social impact align. Today, the firm has grown from approximately 150 people across six offices at launch to around 1,300 employees and roughly 35 offices worldwide.

That independence matters, Peter said, because it allows a founder-led company to think long-term and stay anchored in values. He contrasted that freedom with the pressure facing publicly traded holding company agencies, where leadership is often forced to prioritize stock price above all else. Peter pointed to the disruption created by major industry consolidation and the human toll of large-scale layoffs, describing it as heartbreaking for employees and potentially damaging for clients.

Purpose, he said, was never a trend at FINN Partners. While some companies have stepped back from purpose positioning amid political and economic headwinds, Peter said his firm has remained consistent because its values were part of the foundation from day one. That consistency shows up in how FINN Partners grows. He said the agency’s first conversations around acquisitions focus on values, not numbers, and the firm has walked away from potential deals when alignment just wasn’t there. He said the agency also turns down client work, even significant opportunities, if it believes the assignment would conflict with its core values.

Peter also spoke directly to younger professionals trying to enter the industry, acknowledging how tough the market has become. Competition for junior roles is intense, he said, and the overall industry has been slow for several years. His advice was to stay focused if communications is the goal, but to look carefully at independent agencies, which he described as more stable environments in the near term.

Artificial intelligence is another shift reshaping the business, and Peter said FINN Partners is investing in AI with a clear emphasis on capability, not cuts. His goal is for every employee to be proficient with AI tools and to use them to work smarter and faster, while acknowledging that AI is supposed to assist human judgment, not replace it. Anything produced with AI support, he said, must be double-checked.

Outside of agency life, Peter’s commitment to purpose shows up in another long-running project. He has been credited with pioneering work tied to the Catskill Mountain Foundation, an effort that brings together arts, culture, and rural development with the goal of challenging despair and poverty. He described it as meaningful work that has helped strengthen a community over time, reinforcing a belief that business and civic leadership can and should make a positive difference.

When I asked how he wants to be remembered, Peter did not talk about deals or industry stature. He talked about building something that lasts. He said he hopes to be remembered as the founder of a great agency that survives for generations, known for outstanding people, deep expertise, and excellent work, and respected for having a heart and a conscience. He also hopes the community work he and his wife have supported through the arts will continue for years to come.

FINN Partners has earned significant industry recognition in recent years, including being named O’Dwyer’s top purpose agency, appearing on Fast Company’s list of most innovative companies, winning midsize agency honors from Provoke Media, and earning multiple Observer PR Power List recognitions. For Peter, those accolades matter, but they are not the point. The point is building an agency that can do great work for great clients, treat people well, stay true to its values, and help make the world a little better along the way.