Apco Worldwide has made a number of senior management changes, laying out the succession plan for one of the last large independent D.C.-based crisis and public affairs shops.

Margery Kraus, founder and CEO, will assume the role of executive chairman, succeeed as CEO by International President Brad Staples, effective Jan. 5, the company said today.

Apco Exec-VP Evan Kraus, who is also Margery Kraus' son, will become the shop's president and managing director of operations. President and COO Neal Cohen was named vice chairman of the board and president-global client strategy.

"As we celebrate the close of our 30th year, I wanted to make sure we had a plan in place that created certainty for the company as we look forward to our 4th decade," Ms. Kraus said in a statement. "Today's announcement is a seamless evolution of the leadership of our firm designed to drive stronger global collaboration, deeper relationships with clients and more compelling, creative programming that delivers greater impact for clients and their stakeholders while empowering a new generation of the firm's leaders."

The company also expressed the desire to secure leadership to be prepared for the "shift in corporate interests to new, international markets," according to the statement. Mr. Staples has spent nearly two decades building and leading Apco's international operations.

Mr. Staples will be based in London. Mr. Kraus and Mr. Cohen will continue to be based in Washington, D.C.

Apco Worldwide, founded in 1984, supports corporations and governments, as well as industry associations and nonprofit organizations, among others. The shop in January 2012 acquired a majority stake in StrawberryFrog, a New York-based ad agency network. Revenue increased 1.8% last year to $76.6 million.

Apco's management bought the agency back from its then-owner, Grey Global Group, in September 2004.