Rosenberg Strategic Communications

How strategic communications helped enable a complex refinancing in the real estate sector

Ramin Alizad — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:15:36 +0000

A refinancing is more than a financial transaction

A listed real estate company needed to reset its financing structure in a highly challenging market environment. Rising interest rates, a weaker transaction market and upcoming maturities increased the pressure to act. At the same time, the company had to safeguard the confidence of investors, bondholders, analysts and other key stakeholders.
The financial solution was demanding. The communications challenge was at least as significant.
Rosenberg Strategic Communications supported the company in making the strategic rationale of the refinancing clear, credible and accessible, while aligning capital markets communications around a focused narrative.

Turning individual measures into a credible equity story

The refinancing comprised several interdependent elements: extending existing financing arrangements, partially repurchasing outstanding bonds, reducing liabilities and securing additional support from the major shareholder. In parallel, selected properties were to be sold to release liquidity and strengthen the capital structure.
From a communications perspective, the core challenge was to ensure these measures were not perceived as isolated actions.
Capital market participants do not assess individual instruments in isolation. They assess whether those instruments form part of a coherent plan. RosenbergSC therefore worked with management to develop an overarching communications architecture that connected all measures to a consistent strategic logic.
The central message was clear: the refinancing was not designed as short-term relief. It was designed to create the conditions for the company’s sustainable stabilisation. Communications shifted the focus from individual financing instruments to the company’s long-term strategic trajectory.

Positioning asset disposals as active portfolio management

In the real estate sector, asset disposals are often subject to heightened scrutiny. Capital markets may interpret such measures as evidence of financial pressure or a lack of viable alternatives.
RosenbergSC developed a communications line that positioned the disposals as a deliberate element of active portfolio management. Rather than framing them as standalone transactions, the narrative highlighted their contribution to strengthening the balance sheet, focusing the portfolio and executing the financing strategy.
This helped redirect the discussion away from perceived distressed sales and towards management’s ability to actively steer the business.

Translating complexity for investors, creditors and the media

A further priority was to build a consistent communications platform for different stakeholder groups.
RosenbergSC supported the development of core messages, management Q&As, investor materials and media communications. The objective was to explain the financial logic of the transaction in a way that was clear and accessible, without oversimplifying its complexity.
The approach deliberately favoured fact-based and measured communications. Rather than creating short-term success narratives, the emphasis was on transparency, consistency and the continuous articulation of the company’s strategic objectives.

Trust is not created at closing. It is built through execution.

With the successful completion of the refinancing, the decisive phase began: implementation.

The communication strategy was therefore continued beyond the transaction itself. Progress on debt reduction, portfolio optimizations, and changes in market conditions had to be continuously contextualized and explained. At the same time, it was important to actively manage expectations and strengthen the credibility of the long-term strategy.

RosenbergSC supported this process through ongoing strategic consulting and the continuous refinement of the capital markets narrative.

Communications as a strategic value driver

This case demonstrates that successful refinancing in the real estate sector is about far more than structuring capital.
What matters is the ability to make the strategic logic behind individual measures understandable and to convince different stakeholder groups that the plan is robust. In challenging market phases, communications becomes a critical component of value creation.
RosenbergSC helped the company not only communicate the refinancing successfully, but position it as part of a clear strategic repositioning — creating confidence in the company’s future resilience and strategic direction.

Der Beitrag How strategic communications helped enable a complex refinancing in the real estate sector erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.

Communication as a Critical Success Factor in a Complex Capital Markets Restructuring

Ramin Alizad — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 12:47:35 +0000

How integrated capital markets and crisis communications restored a listed technology company’s ability to act.

From Growth to Crisis

The restructuring of a listed company is rarely a purely financial or legal exercise—particularly when it unfolds under intense public scrutiny, volatile capital-market conditions and severe time pressure. This case demonstrates how strategic communication can become a decisive enabler of transformation.
After several years of strong growth, an international technology group entered a profound crisis. Major investments in new capacity and business lines had materially increased its cost base just as demand contracted. Further cash outflows strained liquidity, while external events intensified the pressure. The existing turnaround plan became untenable, a leadership change was required and the company ultimately initiated a far-reaching restructuring process.

A Multi-Layered Transformation

What followed was not a linear process, but a highly dynamic transformation. Financial restructuring, operational realignment and fundamental changes to the capital structure progressed in parallel, alongside the involvement of a strategic investor.

This complexity met a capital market with powerful dynamics of its own. The shareholder base was fragmented across institutional investors, hedge funds, short sellers and retail investors. Media scrutiny intensified in parallel, amplified by critical voices and public disputes.

Beyond Traditional Investor Relations

Traditional investor relations reached its limits. Disclosure obligations collided with legal constraints, rumours travelled faster than verified facts, and individual communications could immediately affect market behaviour and the share price. With confidence already impaired, trust became particularly fragile.

Communication as an Integral Part of the Restructuring

Against this backdrop, communication was treated not as a supporting activity, but as an integral part of the restructuring. RosenbergSC assumed central responsibility for capital markets and crisis communications at an early stage, working closely with the Management Board, Supervisory Board, legal counsel and financial advisers. The objective was clear: stabilise external perceptions, actively shape the narrative and translate complex developments for the capital market.

Central Coordination in a Highly Sensitive Environment

Execution was led through a dedicated, continuously available task force. RosenbergSC consolidated all communication workstreams, assumed key external communications functions and ensured consistent corporate positioning.
Continuous monitoring of media coverage, market reactions and stakeholder positions was a core element of the approach. This enabled emerging narratives to be identified and addressed before they became entrenched. Market-moving information was contextualised proactively and, where necessary, counter-narratives were established.

Tailored Communication for Distinct Stakeholder Groups

Communication was managed by target audience. Institutional investors, activist market participants and the media each operated according to distinct priorities, expectations and decision-making logic.

Explaining the restructuring process itself was particularly important. As many market participants had only a limited understanding of its mechanics, continuous clarification was essential to create greater certainty and prevent misinterpretation.

Precision in a Fast-Moving Situation

Execution remained demanding throughout. Bridge financing, legal disputes and operational measures had to be communicated in parallel. Every statement also had to balance transparency requirements with confidentiality obligations. RosenbergSC maintained consistent, robust external communications and aligned every measure closely with capital-markets regulation.

Stability as a Prerequisite for Delivery

Despite the challenging conditions, external perceptions were stabilised and a consistent market narrative was established. Complex developments became easier to understand, while escalation was largely contained. Communication thereby created a critical foundation for the successful delivery of the restructuring.

Der Beitrag Communication as a Critical Success Factor in a Complex Capital Markets Restructuring erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.

Democracy in Crisis: When Communication Becomes a Matter of the System Itself

Ramin Alizad — Fri, 15 May 2026 09:13:45 +0000

Caught between a loss of trust and the pressure to act lies a question that every company has faced in times of crisis: Who speaks up when it matters – and will they still be believed?

Background

German democracy is not in a state of acute emergency. It is in an extraordinary situation. The difference is significant: An acute crisis forces a response. An extraordinary situation can be managed – often until the scope for action is lost.

Trust in institutions is declining. Political rhetoric is losing its power to unite. The media are caught between taking a stance and maintaining credibility. What is emerging is not a single failure, but a structural communication problem – with consequences for the economy, society, and every organization that seeks to make an impact in this environment.

Three Observations

First: The political center has lost its narrative.

Stable democracies thrive on robust narratives – not glossy ones, but those marked by transparent consistency. Anyone following the political debate in Germany today sees the opposite: rapid shifts in position, tactical spin, and avoidance rather than clarification. This isn’t just a stylistic problem. It’s a reputational problem.

Second: Crisis communication has been replaced by crisis rhetoric.

In situations critical to success, what matters less is what is communicated than how – and with what degree of credibility. Political actors have gotten into the habit of framing every dispute in dramatic terms. The result is desensitization. If everything is a turning point, then nothing is one anymore.

Third: The fringes communicate with greater confidence than the center.

Populist figures have mastered a craft that has been lost in the democratic center: simple, accessible language, clearly defined audiences, and emotional connection. Often factually incorrect – but communicatively precise. Anyone who merely laments this instead of learning from it fails to understand the mechanics of modern public discourse.

What This Means for Decision-Makers

Companies operating in this environment face a dual challenge. They must protect their own reputation – in a public sphere where political polarization can turn any corporate statement into a political stance. And they must provide guidance where political institutions no longer do so credibly.

This is no exaggeration, but rather the reality facing supervisory boards, executive boards, and communications departments. Anyone today who communicates a transformation, oversees a restructuring, or defends a location does so in an environment marked by political uncertainty. This uncertainty is part of the extraordinary situation – and it demands a response.

Der Beitrag Democracy in Crisis: When Communication Becomes a Matter of the System Itself erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.

Between transaction and transformation – Why M&A communication determines the success of an acquisition

Andrea Schmitt — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 11:33:00 +0000

Die Märkte sind wieder in Bewegung. Nach einem verhaltenen Transaktionsjahr 2023 zog die M&A-Aktivität im Laufe von 2024 spürbar an. Dieser Trend hat sich laut einer aktuellen Analyse von Bain & Company im ersten Halbjahr 2025 nochmals verstärkt – insbesondere bei grenzüberschreitenden Transaktionen im europäischen Mittelstand. Treiber sind unter anderem sinkende Zinsen, ein anhaltender Konsolidierungsdruck in mehreren Branchen sowie das zunehmende Engagement von Private-Equity-Investoren. Auch wenn der Transaktionsprozess wieder an Tempo gewinnt, bleibt die Kommunikation in vielen Fällen eine unterschätzte Herausforderung.

Der kritische Faktor Kommunikation

M&A-Transaktionen sind selten nur wirtschaftliche Ereignisse. Sie sind strategische Zäsuren, die Identitäten verändern – intern wie extern. Für die Mitarbeitenden steht oft die Zukunft ihrer Arbeitsplätze im Raum, für Kund:innen, Investor:innen und Lieferanten die Frage nach Stabilität und Kontinuität. Und für Medien und Politik eröffnen sich neue Interpretationsräume, die je nach Tonlage den Kursverlauf oder das Employer Branding beeinflussen können.
Gerade in Phasen erhöhter Unsicherheit kommt es darauf an, dass Unternehmen nicht nur kommunizieren – sondern koordiniert, strategisch und vorausschauend kommunizieren. Wer die Deutungshoheit nicht verliert, hat bessere Chancen, Vertrauen aufzubauen und Reibungsverluste zu minimieren.

Case in Point: Viessmann und Carrier Global

Ein Beispiel, das die Bedeutung professioneller M&A-Kommunikation unterstreicht, lieferte 2023 die Übernahme des Wärmepumpengeschäfts von Viessmann durch den US-Konzern Carrier Global. Während wirtschaftlich sinnvoll, stieß der Verkauf in Deutschland auf mediale und politische Kritik – von “Ausverkauf” war die Rede. Erst ein intensiver Kommunikationsnachlauf inklusive Interviews, Familienstatements und politischer Einordnung konnte das Stimmungsbild nachhaltig drehen.

Kommunikation als Integrationsmotor

M&A-Kommunikation endet nicht mit der Unterschrift unter dem Kaufvertrag. Sie begleitet die gesamte Transaktion – von der ersten Marktgerüchte-Phase über die interne und externe Bekanntgabe bis hin zur Integration. Dabei gilt es, drei Dimensionen gleichermaßen zu steuern:

Interne Kommunikation: Mitarbeitende frühzeitig einbinden, Ängste adressieren, Führungskräfte zu Multiplikatoren machen.
Kapitalmarkt- und Medienkommunikation: Narrative entwickeln, die strategische Logik und Synergien klar vermitteln – ohne in PR-Sprache zu verfallen.
Kommunikation in der Integration: Transparente Change-Kommunikation, kulturelle Sensibilität und regelmäßiger Fortschrittsdialog sind entscheidend, um aus zwei Unternehmen eines zu machen.

M&A-Transaktionen verlaufen selten reibungslos – erst recht nicht auf kommunikativer Ebene. Wer die Kommunikation frühzeitig mitdenkt und strukturiert aufsetzt, schafft bessere Voraussetzungen für eine reibungsarme Transaktion und eine erfolgreiche Integration. Gerade in komplexen Stakeholder-Umfeldern kann eine gut abgestimmte Kommunikationsstrategie dazu beitragen, Unsicherheiten zu reduzieren, Missverständnisse zu vermeiden und Vertrauen aufzubauen.

Der Beitrag Between transaction and transformation – Why M&A communication determines the success of an acquisition erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.

Strategic Communication After a Cyberattack in the Automotive Industry

Andrea Schmitt — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 13:12:13 +0000

In spring 2024, a mid-sized automotive supplier became the target of a ransomware attack. The company, with 340 employees, operates three production sites in Germany and has sales offices abroad. With annual revenues of €60 million, it is a key player in its segment.

The Cyberattack

The ransomware attack was discovered when production systems suddenly became inaccessible. All systems and data were affected, resulting in a complete production shutdown. The situation was critical and required immediate action.

Our Role

We were brought in by the crisis response manager to join the task force. Our responsibility: to coordinate internal and external communication. This included messaging for suppliers, customers – especially key accounts such as OEMs – as well as employees.

The Challenges

Communicating during and after the attack posed significant challenges. The pressure on the company was intense, and inquiries were coming from all sides. It was essential to clearly define who needed to know what – and when.

We had to act under extreme time pressure, ensure compliance with legal requirements, and maintain alignment between all stakeholders – including IT, executive leadership, and legal counsel.

Our Communication Strategy

We implemented a tailored communication strategy based on a strict “need-to-know” principle. Each stakeholder received only the information relevant to them. This helped reduce friction, manage expectations, and relieve executive leadership to focus on restoring operations.

Communication was delivered through written statements and direct verbal messaging by senior leaders.

The Outcome

Our support enabled leadership to fully focus on the technical recovery. Our comprehensive communications approach built trust by ensuring a unified voice across all channels.

Stakeholders responded positively. The company maintained valuable relationships, reduced internal communication workloads, avoided negative media coverage, and returned to business operations as swiftly as possible.

Integrated Expertise – Working with Leading Experts

We work closely with top-tier IT forensic and damage control specialists to offer holistic communication solutions. This interdisciplinary approach ensures all aspects of a cyberattack are addressed – with comprehensive, reliable support.

Tailored Solutions

Every cyberattack is unique and requires a customized communication strategy. We develop tailored plans that meet each client’s specific needs, using proven methods and best practices refined over years of experience.

Crisis Communication

In a crisis, clarity and consistency are key. We help our clients design and implement effective crisis communication strategies. This includes messaging for internal and external audiences – employees, customers, suppliers, media, and regulatory bodies. Our goal: preserve trust and protect reputation.

Training & Preparedness

Beyond consulting, we offer workshops and simulations to prepare companies for special situations like cyberattacks. Training covers crisis communication, media management, internal coordination, and response processes – helping organizations become crisis-resilient.

Long-Term Partnership

Our commitment doesn’t end with the crisis. We partner with our clients over the long term – reviewing and refining strategies regularly to ensure continued preparedness for future incidents.

Proven Impact

Our track record speaks for itself. We’ve helped numerous companies navigate cyber crises successfully, protect their reputations, and emerge stronger. Our clients value our composure under pressure and our ability to deliver results when it matters most.

Der Beitrag Strategic Communication After a Cyberattack in the Automotive Industry erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.

Reality Check in Crisis Management

Andrea Schmitt — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:39:41 +0000

Polycrises Are the New Reality — Preparedness Is No Longer Optional

Airports around the world experience system outages. Thousands of travellers are stranded. Aircraft remain grounded, customer-service capacities are overwhelmed, and social media channels erupt within minutes. Scenarios like these are precisely what major travel companies must be prepared for — not at some point in the future, but at any moment.

For leading tour operators, which enable millions of holiday journeys each year, crises are not theoretical exercises. They are an inherent part of operating in a highly interconnected, global environment. Yet even the most experienced organisations increasingly confront a fundamental question:

How prepared are we really — in light of the new international standard for crisis management, ISO 22361?

Large-scale travel organisations have invested in sophisticated crisis-management capabilities for many years. Dedicated core teams of experienced specialists operate year-round and can rapidly be reinforced by broader pools of functional and business leaders when circumstances require. The result is often a highly developed system with substantial operational depth and organisational reach.

However, the publication of DIN EN ISO 22361 in February 2023 introduced a new perspective. The key question was no longer whether a crisis-management system existed, but whether existing practices reflected what is now considered international best practice.

ISO 22361 extends well beyond traditional crisis structures and response mechanisms. It places greater emphasis on systemic thinking, governance frameworks, organisational learning, leadership effectiveness, and the ability to adapt crisis-management capabilities to an organisation’s specific context and risk profile.

A Reality Check for a Mature Crisis Organisation

Even the most advanced crisis-management systems benefit from periodic external scrutiny.

This is where the collaboration between organisations and Rosenberg Strategic Communications begins.

The objective is not to redesign or replace existing crisis-management structures. Rather, it is to conduct an independent, evidence-based assessment that evaluates:
The extent to which the organisation already aligns with the requirements and principles of ISO 22361.
Which elements of the standard are genuinely relevant from a business and operational perspective.
Where existing structures, governance mechanisms and processes can be further strengthened or refined.

A critical aspect of this work is distinguishing between theoretical compliance and practical relevance. Not every requirement within a global standard is equally meaningful for every organisation.

Rosenberg helps leadership teams make these distinctions deliberately and transparently through a structured methodology tailored to the realities of globally operating travel businesses. The result is a pragmatic and fact-based “reality check” that focuses on what truly matters rather than pursuing compliance for its own sake.

Strong Foundations, Targeted Enhancements

Such assessments typically confirm a high degree of organisational maturity, particularly in areas such as leadership, governance, operational responsiveness and crisis coordination.
At the same time, they often identify opportunities for targeted improvement, including:

Further formalisation of governance structures in line with ISO 22361.
Refinement of crisis-communication strategies in response to evolving digital and social-media dynamics.
More systematic learning mechanisms derived from both real-world incidents and crisis simulations.

Findings are documented in a structured manner and reviewed with senior management through dedicated workshops. This allows organisations not only to evaluate the effectiveness of their current capabilities, but also to define targeted initiatives that strengthen resilience and future readiness.

When Expertise Meets Reality

In an era characterised by geopolitical uncertainty, climate-related disruptions, technological dependencies and increasing global mobility, crisis management is no longer a defensive function.

It is a strategic capability.

Assessing an organisation against ISO 22361 is therefore not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it reflects organisational maturity and leadership confidence: the willingness to subject established practices to rigorous, objective evaluation and to continuously improve.

Rosenberg Strategic Communications supports organisations through a structured, business-specific approach rather than off-the-shelf solutions — always with a clear focus on what genuinely creates resilience, strengthens decision-making and enhances organisational readiness when it matters most.

Der Beitrag Reality Check in Crisis Management erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.

Restructuring Under Intense Public Scrutiny

Andrea Schmitt — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:40:00 +0000

An internationally active German technology group experienced years of rapid growth, driven by bold investments, expansion into new business segments, and an increasingly complex corporate structure. However, external market shifts combined with operational and financial challenges required a fundamental strategic realignment. As a publicly listed company, swift and decisive action was critical. The chosen solution: a comprehensive balance sheet and operational restructuring – legally safeguarded under the German Corporate Stabilization and Restructuring Act (StaRUG).

Diverging Stakeholder Interests in a High-Stakes Environment

The restructuring took place in a highly sensitive landscape marked by conflicting interests and complex dependencies. Key stakeholders included: Institutional investors, Hedge funds and short-sellers, Suppliers and customers, Employees and labor representatives, Political bodies and ministries (including those distributing subsidies) and Vocal shareholder associations with strong media presence

The situation grew more complex with the involvement of a major client, who eventually became a shareholder during the process. The key challenge: to navigate this web of interests with a solution that was legally sound, economically viable, and communicatively coherent.

Build Trust, Manage Risk

The goal was to proactively identify risks, manage stakeholder expectations, and minimize reputational and regulatory fallout. Even before the official restructuring procedure was launched, speculation about the company’s financial state and restructuring options began to intensify.
To maintain control, it was essential to:

Provide targeted clarifications to key audiences
Strategically inform the media
Actively manage expectations across stakeholder groups
Preserve internal and external trust through coordinated messaging

Structured Communications Along the Legal Process

In close coordination with the company’s leadership, legal advisors, and financial consultants, Rosenberg Strategic Communications developed and executed a comprehensive communication strategy aligned with the procedural milestones. A coordinated roadmap was defined, covering procedural communication under StaRUG, Ad-hoc disclosures, Extraordinary general meetings and Delisting communications. Contingency plans were also created to address crisis communication scenarios, media escalations and political/regulatory inquiries.

RosenbergSC anchored the communication strategy in three core principles:

Risk Control
Proactive handling of rumors and critical media narratives through background briefings and fast, factual responses.
Clarity & Direction
Delivering consistent, understandable messages with a clear logic across all communication phases.
Narrative Leadership
Positioning the company as acting independently, within legal frameworks, and in transparent dialogue with all relevant stakeholders. This narrative was consistently reinforced across all internal and external channels.

Communication Enables Action

In complex restructurings involving multiple audiences and public attention, strategic communication is a core lever of success. Through disciplined messaging, stakeholder trust, and legal alignment, RosenbergSC helped turn a crisis into a controlled transformation process.

Der Beitrag Restructuring Under Intense Public Scrutiny erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.