Matt McDonald

Matt McDonald is CEO of Penta and has served as a senior counselor to leaders in the public and private sectors for more than two decades, providing guidance at the intersection of communications and business strategy.

In addition to leading Penta, Matt is engaged in client work with a particular focus on finance and technology. His work has ranged from reputation building and thought leadership to strategy development and organizational change. Matt also leads work on crisis communications and debates around issues of intense public scrutiny.

Prior to his current role, Matt was a partner at Hamilton Place Strategies, one of the founding firms of Penta, where he drove innovation in combining deep analytical work with high-profile public policy debates. He was also previously a consultant for McKinsey & Company in its New York and Washington offices. In that role, he helped C-suite executives confronting generational industry and economic upheaval in the aftermath of the economic crisis.

Matt served under President Bush as associate communications director at the White House with responsibility for economic issues and also served in senior roles on three presidential campaigns, including those of Governor Romney and Senator McCain. In 2004, he was the rapid response director for President Bush’s reelection and served in a similar leadership role as a senior advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger’s reelection victory in California. Previously, he was a speechwriter for governors and members of Congress.

Matt was named to PRWeek’s Top 50 Power List and PRovoke Media People to Watch for 2024. He is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society, a premier global professional association for senior strategic communications leaders. Matt holds a degree in economics from Dartmouth College and an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management.