“Margery epitomizes excellence in a woman leader,” said Elizabeth Filippouli, Global Thinkers Forum founder and CEO. “She has the remarkable ability to seize opportunities and create success thanks to her skills, determination, intelligence and hard work. Margery created one of the top global organizations in PR and communications from a start-up. At the same time she cares about people, about society. I have great respect and admiration for Margery as a woman and business leader, and Global Thinkers Forum 2012 salutes her uniquely successful leadership skills.”

The Global Thinkers Forum (GTF) is an international initiative that brings together public- and private-sector leaders to discuss current and future trends in governance and society. This year’s gathering in Jordan centered on women’s leadership in the MENA region and took place under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah.

“I am truly honored to receive such prestigious recognition alongside so many remarkable individuals,” said Kraus. “As the owner of an independent company that has worked for more than a decade to link the MENA region with the wider world by helping businesses invest in this growing market, this award is especially meaningful. GTF’s mission to open channels of constructive exchange among the global community is a vital one. It was a privilege to participate in and be recognized at this outstanding event.”

Kraus also served as a panelist at a session earlier in the day titled “The Leadership Gap: Repositioning the Role of the MENA Woman in Governance & Society.” Alongside Stephen Cole, senior anchor, Al Jazeera English; Majd Shweikeh, CEO, Vtel Holdings Ltd; Valerie Keller, CEO, Veritas & YGL; and Reem N. Bsaiso, senior ICT consultant, Kraus discussed areas of opportunity for women in MENA in the post-Arab Spring era.

Kraus founded APCO in 1984 and transformed it from a company with one small Washington office to a multinational consulting firm in major cities throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In 2004 Kraus led a management buy-out of her firm, making APCO one of the largest privately owned global communication, stakeholder engagement and business strategy firms in the world.

Kraus specializes in providing strategic counsel on issue-based communication, crisis management, market entry and corporate reputation across diverse industry groups. She also pioneered one of the industry’s earliest practices in corporate responsibility and the development of public/private partnerships. Today APCO serves as the communication and media partner for the Clinton Global Initiative’s Annual Meeting in New York and is a founding member of the WEF Global Growth Companies initiative.

Prior to starting APCO, Kraus assisted in the creation and development of the Close Up Foundation, a multi-million-dollar educational foundation sponsored in part by the U.S. Congress. Kraus continues to be involved with the foundation by serving on its board of directors. She is also active on other institutional and corporate boards and committees, including serving as a trustee of Northwestern Mutual Life, the Arthur W. Page Society, the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation, the Eurasia Foundation and the Institute for Public Relations. Kraus is also chair of the board of directors of the Women Presidents’ Organization, a group of women presidents of companies committed to accelerating business growth, enhancing competitiveness and promoting economic security.

GTF also awarded excellence in global thinking, life, philanthropy, media, innovation, science, gender equality, cultural understanding, entrepreneurship and positive change.