Vae Solis Corporate is a consulting firm that provides strategic communications advice to companies. It helps clients construct positive images, develop reputation, and protect brand value. The firm's services include corporate communications, public affairs, financial communications, crisis management, and internal communications. Vae Solis has expertise in information strategies, crisis management, and works with clients across many industries. It is a team of 24 consultants led by Arnaud Dupui-Castérès that was founded in 2000 and became independent in 2007.

1. Vae Solis Corporate
Consultants in corporate information strategy and
crisis management
December 2008
"The two most important things don't show up on a company's balance sheet:
its reputation and its people."
Henry Ford (1863 -1947)
15 rue Henri Heine – 75016 Paris
Tel. 33 1 53 92 80 00
www.vae-solis.com
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2. Our vision
Rapid changes in the competitive or political environment, financial, social or health crises,
mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, conflicts of opinion: as a senior executive you are
confronted daily with the need to deal with such developments.
Your reputation is directly touched by the events of the moment (economic, social,
administrative or media); permanently exposed to this shifting context, as a result it is a matter
of strategic priority, requiring attention at the highest level of governance.
In this new world, the management of relations with opinion leaders is essential.
To avoid crises or transform them into opportunities, to have a deep understanding of your
environment and the capacity to exert real influence, to properly define your identity and
enrich your relations with interested parties… competitive advantages and the conditions
for creating value.
Backed by analysis and ongoing observation (of the economy, competition, regulations and
society), strategic advice, information channels, crisis management, press relations,
public affairs and financial communications are the tools by which Vae Solis Corporate
serves your growth strategy in an open world that brings both risks and opportunities.
Arnaud Dupui-Castérès Corinne Dubos Antoine Boulay Laurent Porta
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3. Our approach
A threefold management of your image issues
Constructing the image: information strategy
Acting on the identity and image of companies and institutions, we define their positioning,
underlying identity, key messages and arguments that most effectively present these
organisations and give them the entrée to public debate.
Developing and enhancing reputation capital: levers of influence
Relations with opinion leaders are today an essential tool in the development of public
awareness, the improvement of a reputation, the construction of an image. We work to
enrich your relations with interested parties through public relations procedures, press
relations and lobbying.
Protecting the value of brands and organisations: risk prevention and
crisis management
We aim to provide a real safety-net for our client companies and institutions, by protecting
the values incorporated in their brands, their market share, their image, and their public
reputation. To achieve this we support our clients with advice on risk prevention and crisis
management.
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4. Our approach
A global, strategic approach…
Advisory: personalized strategic support for managers
in private and public sectors.
Definition of information and communications
strategies: from initial strategic positioning to
development of an operational communications plan.
Implementation: support and implementation of the
communications plan.
…which covers all our clients’ target publics:
Public authorities
Partners
Media
Internal
Users/clients
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5. RANGE OF OUR SERVICES
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
Developing communications plans, executive coordination, implementation of action plans
and use of specific tools.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS / LOBBYING / PRESS INFLUENCE
Identifying decision-makers and opinion leaders, developing strategies to influence them,
providing support for management of contacts, media watch etc.
FINANCIAL COMMUNICATIONS
Managing financial and stock market communications, implementing strategic plans for
friendly or hostile operations etc.
RISK PREVENTION & CRISIS MANAGEMENT
Inventory of risks, mapping, developing crisis scenarios, establishing and implementing crisis
management processes, simulation, operational support etc.
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Development of internal communications plans and actions in support of change
management (shutdown of a production site, moving premises, M&A, business restructuring
and change in strategy etc.).
MANAGEMENT COACHING AND TRAINING
As a registered training organisation, we offer numerous training programs ranging from
media relations to specific crisis management.
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6. Our expertise – a few examples
Information strategies
Our team supports institutions and businesses in improving their image and assists them in
public affairs, based in particular on:
– Brand platforms (e.g. for Bouygues Immobilier, Taj, CNRS -national scientific research centre)
– Communication planning (e.g. for the CNES - national space research centre)
– Public relations and press contact activities (e.g. for Numericable, Macquarie, LIR -
pharmaceutical industry association)
– Internal communications management (e.g. for General Electric and SMABTP - professional
insurance for construction industry)
– Training of spokespersons (e.g. for Merial, Charal and the ANPE -national employment agency)
Crisis management
All our consultants work together in the management of crises affecting our clients and since
2000 have provided support and advice in handling numerous difficult situations such as:
– Support in crisis prevention for Roche, Guerlain and Charal;
– Support and management of national and international health crises, including "mad
cow disease", bird 'flu and the Chikungunya outbreak;
– Crises involving several food and health industry targets (suspicion thrown on
food or health products);
– A number of crises involving pollution on industrial sites;
– Crises linked to changes in legislation (creation of a new telecoms service; health
system reform; taxation, etc.)
– Image crises linked to rumours about financial products ;
– Various labour unrest crises, involving strikes, sequestration of senior management,
etc.
– Several judicial crises…
Vae Solis is the initiator and founder of the Observatoire des Risques Sanitaires
(Health Risk Observatory) which published its 3rd investigation into the perception of
health risks and crises in June 2008, and author of La Crise en 100 mots (The Crisis
in 100 Words), edited by the SIG and published by Documentation Française in May
2007.
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7. Our principal clients
Banking / Services / Insurance / Finance Industry / Energy
High-Tech/ Telecoms /
Media
Public Service Sector Food and Agricuture / Health
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8. Facts & Figures
Date founded:
- 2000: creation of Leo Corporate, the corporate
Means:
communications subsidiary of Leo Burnett
– The consultancy has a 24/7 duty roster:
group;
tel. +33 (0)6 25 01 43 39
email. urgent@vae-solis.com
- 2007: the consultancy became independent
and changed its name to Vae Solis Corporate.
– Vae Solis Corporate has operational partnerships with
independent consultancies in several European
countries (London, Brussels, Geneva...).
Team:
– As a recognised training organization, Vae Solis has
- Founded and led by Arnaud Dupui-Castérès,
the technical means (studio) and necessary expertise
Vae Solis Corporate is a team of 24
(network of professional journalists) to provide
multidisciplinary consultants with comple-
coaching and training.
mentary profiles and experience in the public,
political and private sectors.
- Three associate directors manage the teams. Commitments:
- The consultancy is backed by an Advisory All our assignments are governed by the usual professional
Board of personalities from finance, guarantees:
administration and politics. - Confidentiality agreement
- Undertaking not to compete in the sector
- Compliance with ethics and customary business
Forecast 2008 turnover: practices
- €5.7 million
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