Frequently Asked Questions
Ballou is a European communications agency specialising in supporting fast-growing technology companies (both B2B and B2C), as well as investment funds. With over 20 years of experience, the agency designs strategic communication campaigns—including media relations, crisis communications, social media, branding, and more—to help clients achieve growth, visibility, and influence.
Ballou offers a comprehensive range of communication services, including media relations, strategic consulting, crisis communications, social media, branding, content creation, media training, event management, public affairs, and IPO support.
Ballou has offices in Paris, London, Berlin, Munich, Madrid, and Barcelona. From these locations, the agency also covers Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, and Austria. To support its clients’ European and international expansion, Ballou has a trusted network of partners across Europe and the United States.
For over 20 years, Ballou has supported the most ambitious tech companies and investment funds across Europe and the United States. Its mission: to drive client growth through tailored communication strategies designed to generate real impact at every stage of development.
A powerful network to boost visibilitya Ballou connects its clients with key journalists, investors, and decision-makers across the tech and VC ecosystem. Whether it's raising funds, gaining brand awareness, or entering a new market, the agency opens the right doors at the right time.
High-impact content built for performance Ballou's experts craft tailored, specific messaging to strengthen client credibility - supporting key milestones such as product launches, fundraising rounds, and IPOs. Every word is carefully chosen to resonate with strategic audiences.
A strategic and proactive PR approach
Ballou goes beyond execution - it anticipates, challenges, and fine-tunes every stage of the communications strategy. The agency's clear objective: to maximise visibility and ensure clients’ voices reach the right audiences in alignment with business goals.
An experienced and committed team Every client benefits from the support of a senior team of consultants who understand the dynamics of the tech sector. From junior staff to managing directors, everyone is committed to achieving defined objectives.
Tangible, measurable results Ballou goes beyond one-off campaigns to deliver lasting impact: customer acquisition, visibility with investors, strengthened leadership positioning. The agency supports long-term growth, with some clients working with Ballou for over a decade.
Ballou has a team of 40 communications experts based across its offices in Paris, London, Berlin, Munich, Madrid, and Barcelona. Each consultant brings deep expertise in the tech sector and reputation management.
Ballou’s leadership team includes:
- Colette Ballou – President
- Cédric Voigt – CEO
- Léonora Sama-Itoua – Managing Director, France
- Jörn Dunker – Managing Director, Spain
- Fiona Houston – Managing Director, United Kingdom
- Gowry Ganesh – Chief Financial Officer
- Mathilde Pimor – Head of Marketing, Europe
Ballou operates across a wide range of technologies and sectors - including AI, fintech, healthtech, climate tech, SaaS, Web3, adtech, consumer tech, proptech, mobility, supply chain, human resources, legaltech, edtech, cybersecurity, and more.
Ballou has offices in the following locations:
- Paris – 5 rue du Helder, 75009
- London – 70 White Lion Street, N1 9PP
- Berlin – Invalidenstraße 7, 10115
- Munich – Neuturmstraße 5, 80331 Munich, Bavaria
- Barcelona – Carrer Provença, 278, 08008
- Madrid – Calle Hermosilla 48, 1oDcha, 28001
Ballou designs tailored PR strategies based on its clients’ business objectives—whether it’s fundraising, product launches, market entry, leadership changes, or crisis situations. The agency identifies key messages, selects the most relevant distribution channels, and ensures timely outreach to the right audiences.
The agency maintains a strong network of journalists, influencers, analysts, conference organisers, and industry associations across Europe. It crafts consistent messaging based on its clients’ business strengths and shares it through the most effective channels of influence.
Ballou’s strategic consulting service is designed for business leaders seeking high-level support during key moments in their company’s development—such as fundraising rounds, IPOs, the launch of new strategies, or market repositioning. We provide a valuable external perspective, led by a team of experts in communications, macroeconomics, M&A, and technology, ensuring alignment between business strategy and communications.
This service is strongly embodied by Colette Ballou, the agency’s founder and president, known for her ability to identify underlying trends and understand the human and economic dynamics shaping the European tech ecosystem. Colette personally advises certain executives on strategic issues, particularly in crisis management or board-level communications.
Colette founded and led each of Ballou’s offices in Paris, London, Barcelona, and Berlin, and has played a key role in the successful European expansion of major tech companies such as Facebook, Pinterest, TransferWise, Twilio, and Eventbrite.
In addition to her consulting role, Colette is an investor in several venture capital and private equity funds, including Cavalry Ventures, Connect Ventures, and Asia Partners—a dual perspective that sharpens her understanding of the challenges faced by today’s tech scale-up leaders and investment firms.
Ballou provides strategic consulting across several key areas, including:
- Communication strategies for fundraising and IPOs
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Positioning in deeptech, AI, and emerging technologies
- High-level crisis management and reputation issues
The agency develops B2B and corporate social media strategies, including page creation, editorial guidelines, content planning, community management, reporting, and KPI tracking.
Ballou focuses on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter), which are key platforms in the B2B and corporate space, to optimise brand awareness, credibility, and lead generation.
It helps to:
- Strengthen reputation and visibility
- Reach the right targets within the ecosystem
- Generate high-quality leads through existing channels
Ballou supports its clients before, during, and after a crisis. Services include risk anticipation, crisis task force management, message development, media training, media relations, and post-crisis analysis.
Yes. Media training sessions are offered to help teams master key messages, handle interviews, and anticipate crisis situations.
Ballou creates high-value content such as articles, opinion pieces, white papers, newsletters, customer testimonials, press releases, and speaking scripts. The goal: to strengthen expertise, visibility, and audience engagement.
Yes. Through a network of partners, Ballou produces videos (such as testimonials, interviews, and presentations) and podcasts (including format design, topic development, and recording) to enhance communication campaigns.
Ballou offers tailored media training delivered by specialists in journalist relations. This service is designed to help executives and spokespeople master their media communication, improve message delivery, and strengthen their presence in front of key audiences.
The goal of media training is to help business leaders:
- Communicate with their audience in a direct and effective manner
- Deliver clear and impactful messages
- Adapt their speaking style to different types of media (general and specialist press, TV, radio)
- Develop a tailored communication strategy in crisis situations
Ballou organises both physical and virtual events, including product launches, dinners, press briefings, and conferences. The agency manages the entire production process and supports spokespeople in preparing for their appearances.
Ballou manages the full organisation of the event—from planning and production to stage design and coordination with service providers (catering, decoration, sound and video technicians, etc.). The agency also supports teams in preparing their presentations to ensure the effective delivery of key messages.
Yes. Thanks to its network, Ballou secures speaking opportunities for its clients at major events such as VivaTech, Web Summit, Slush, and The Next Web, through panel discussions, keynotes, and roundtables.
Ballou supports the creation or revamp of brand identity, including positioning, editorial strategy, logo design, visual guidelines, and the development of a cohesive brand universe—both online and offline.
With its European network and over 20 years of experience, Ballou provides guidance on regulatory issues, advocacy strategies, stakeholder mapping, and institutional relations to maximize its clients’ influence.
Ballou offers a full range of public affairs services, including stakeholder mapping, regulatory and legislative analysis, advocacy strategy development, and management of institutional relations. These services are designed to help tech companies and investment funds navigate the European regulatory landscape and maximize their influence with policymakers.
Europe imposes a complex regulatory framework. A public affairs strategy helps anticipate legislative developments, ensure that a company’s voice is heard, and strengthen its position with decision-makers.
An IPO requires carefully managed communication before, during, and after the process. Ballou develops consistent messaging, strengthens investor relations, and handles media coverage to establish the company’s reputation over the long term.
Ballou has conducted campaigns in sectors such as AdTech, AI, ClimateTech, FinTech, HealthTech, Web3, SaaS, PropTech, ConsumerTech, and more.
Ballou’s clients include Pinterest, Duolingo, Treatwell, Waze, Coursera, Monday.com, RedHat, ServiceNow, Twilio, Eventbrite, Zendesk, Treatwell, Wasabi, 2150, Speedinvest, EWOR, CommerzVentures, and many more.
To apply, you can submit an application or respond to a job opening online. Be sure to specify your preferred office location (Paris, London, Berlin, Barcelona, etc.). All information is available on the “Join Us” page.