Matthew R. Beaton is a public relations professional and former financial journalist with extensive news media experience.

During his time as an award-winning reporter, he covered some of the financial services industry’s biggest stories – including the post-financial crisis recovery; growth of passive investments; Bill Gross’s sudden departure from the world’s then-largest bond fund; and the fight over the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule. He has written for the Financial Times, Ignites, and The Hill, among other outlets.

Matthew’s public relations experience has focused on the representation of law firms. Prior to Beaton PR, he oversaw media relations for the international law firm WilmerHale’s Securities Department and worked with the firm’s Intellectual Property, Litigation/Controversy, Regulatory and Government Affairs, and Transactional departments. He has a deep network of journalist contacts across the legal, banking, finance, and securities sectors, as well as the life sciences and tech sectors. He has developed and implemented novel strategies to raise clients’ profiles across a variety of media channels, effectively generating news coverage, placing op-ed articles, and training clients on how to work with the press. Additionally, he has a depth of experience in protecting clients’ reputations during crises and safeguarding their brands when handling media inquiries.

Across his PR practice, Matthew has helped clients strengthen their public image by building strategic media plans; highlighting company news and accomplishments (including major victories, recent hires, product roll-outs, new business units launched, and awards won); cultivating relationships with journalists; pitching and working with reporters on feature and trend stories; drafting quotes and prepping clients for interviews; providing media training; placing client-authored articles; writing press releases and news posts; overseeing crisis communications; conducting media analysis; tracking media coverage; drafting and editing award and survey submissions; and counseling clients on other media-related activities.

Matthew earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Florida Atlantic University in 2008 and a master's degree in mass communication from the University of Florida in 2010.

Media coverage:

 • PR News – “Trending: PR and Legal are Collaborating on Regulatory Issues” – Matthew Beaton discussed how communications professionals should work with attorneys and what techniques they can employ to identify and avoid regulatory issues that harm organizations.

 • O'Dwyer's PR News –  “Rethinking Corporate Apologies” – Matthew Beaton, in an op-ed, described how: “The slightest misstep in today’s social-media-driven culture can push companies into crisis mode – issuing knee-jerk public apologies that can cheapen genuine expressions of contrition down the road and even result in long-term reputational harm.”

 • PR News – “Harvey Weinstein Attorney Bets PR Strategy Will Pay Dividends” – Matthew Beaton, in an op-ed, writes about the PR strategy Donna Rotunno, attorney for Harvey Weinstein, has deployed in a highly publicized trial that carries the risk of reputational harm.

 • PR News – "Your Brand is Getting Sued. Now What?" – Matthew Beaton is quoted describing how companies should prepare for media inquiries when they face lawsuits.

 • Cointelegraph – "Brave New World for Cryptocurrency Regulation" – Matthew Beaton, in an op-ed, writes about the impending regulatory and enforcement crackdown by the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission on the cryptocurrency industry.

 • The Hill – "As public scorn grows, hedge funds must go on offensive" – Matthew Beaton, in an op-ed, discusses why hedge funds should consider being more assertive in communicating their value through the press.