Brian H. Schaffer
Partner
New York
BIOGRAPHY
Brian Schaffer has over two decades of experience providing strategic corporate, transaction, crisis and investor communications counsel to senior management teams and boards of directors. He has helped position numerous M&A transactions, hostile takeover attempts, proxy contests, corporate and sovereign restructurings, bankruptcies, divestitures and IPOs, all in agency and internal roles.
Brian possesses considerable experience in the financial services sector, assisting senior management teams with M&A, corporate and crisis communications, and reputation management. Select clients include Aurelius Capital Management, Canyon Partners, D.E. Shaw, Elliott Management, Franklin Templeton, Nuveen, Silicon Valley Bank, and Vista Equity Partners, among others.
Prior to joining Prosek Partners, Brian was Director of Investor Relations at ntl, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTLI). He was also Vice President of Investor Relations at Brainerd Communicators. Brian started his career at Morgen-Walke Associates after graduating with Honors from the University of Delaware.
Q & A
What are you most proud of in your public relations career?
My work during the Argentina debt restructuring that took 15 years to resolve (I was a part for it for five years on a daily basis), as well as the Elliott Management vs. Arconic proxy fight.
Name one thing most people don’t know about you.
I used to be able to run sub-three hour marathons; not so much anymore.
How would your mother describe you?
Clearly in love with his work because he evidently doesn’t have enough time to call home more often.
What are your greatest strengths as a public relations practitioner?
My ability to remain calm, stay alert/focused and work tirelessly throughout a transaction. I am also deadly with Excel.
What is your favorite food?
Oysters, in any form.
Describe your perfect client?
One that consistently seeks my counsel on a range of matters and where I have earned a seat at the table.
What three hobbies or activities do you enjoy most?
Wine collecting, crossword puzzles and visiting friends in New Orleans.
What’s your favorite part of the workday?
4:01 p.m. I love seeing what material news companies have sat on all day waiting to release as soon as the market closes. 99% of the time it’s anticlimactic, but it’s worth it when the big news hits.
Who would play you in the movie version of your life?
My brother. He’s also in comms. It’s a family thing, you wouldn’t understand.
What is your favorite quote?
"It's a poor workman who blames his tools" – Gene Johnson