On the 1st of October 2023, 20 years have passed since Diplomat was founded. The journey has had many dimensions: Diplomat has been located at four different addresses in Stockholm and also had an office in Brussels during these two decades. Seven subsidiaries have been established, in some cases closed down and in others divested, but mostly they have grown and been integrated.
Today, Diplomat Group consists of Tale Content and Diplomat Communications, two closely collaborating companies built upon 20 years of experience in clients’ challenges, financial shifts and societal changes.
During the past twenty years, many talents have worked within Diplomat. The list of previous employees and advisors contains over 100 individuals including CEOs, former ministers, party leaders and members of parliament. Some have joined Diplomat after a long and honorable career; for others Diplomat has served as a springboard onto lead positions within politics or different business sectors. Today, there are communication directors, political advisors and enthusiasts in the non-profit sector who have spent their formative years at Diplomat.
The nature of our assignments has shifted, partly due to global changes, socio-economic development and technological advances. But fundamentally, we continue to do the same thing: strategic operational communication consulting. Our clients have mainly been private companies, often large and always undergoing some form of transition. The industries in which Diplomat operates are often characterized by political governance, disruptive deregulations as well as financial challenges and opportunities. IPOs, crises, brand changes and major political developments are only some of the events where Diplomat acts as an advisor.
When Diplomat started in 2003, traditional editorial media was still dominating the societal debate. Social media was a few years ahead in time. Sweden was in recovery following the IT boom and the stock market crash of 2001, but just around the corner, a few years of strong growth and optimism awaited. Diplomat grew rapidly during the years 2004-2007, to the extent that we became a so called Gasell company in Sweden. However, the lessons learned from the dotcom crash were still in mind: the growth was built on stable revenue, and the global financial crisis in 2008 barely affected Diplomat. Rather on the contrary, 2009 turned out to be one of the company’s best years.
When the economy picked up steam again and globalization accelerated, Diplomat Group also gained momentum. During the years 2013-2020, subsidiaries were established in the intersection of digitalization, marketing communication and brand strategy. The acquisition of an advertising agency was finalized the year prior to the pandemic. 2020 was a tough year for the industry, and for Diplomat. Painful experiences and decisions were made to secure Diplomat’s future, and by 2022, the group solidified its current structure with Tale and Diplomat. That year also became one of the best in the company’s history.
Just in time for the 20th anniversary, the company remains well-prepared for the future. In Diplomat’s 20th year of operation, we consist of around 50 consultants who work together in building a business with a turnover close to SEK 100 million. For the first time in the company’s history, there are four equally strong branches collaborating – Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Financial Communication within Diplomat as well as digital and social channels for Tale.
Today, Diplomat is a leading advisor for some of Sweden’s most interesting and challenging transformations. The green transition, a completely new economic reality with inflation and high interest rates, a globalization that is being questioned, and a war in Europe. All of these external factors drive change in politics, the capital market and in the societal debate. Our clients strive to emerge as winners in the global competition but also to contribute to making Sweden stronger, wealthier, and more secure in the new global environment. In this work, Diplomat provides analysis, advice, and operative support.
It has been 20 incredibly enriching and enjoyable years. Of course, mainly thanks to the trust from our clients and because we have had the opportunity to get to know so many interesting individuals over the years – whether it has been clients, colleagues, partners or if our paths have crossed for other reasons. It is something to be grateful for, and the best answer as to why it is just as fun to go to work every day!