Burson has appointed Chad Latz, Grant Toups, and Chris Kief as the global heads of innovation, digital and intelligence, and technology respectively.Chad Latz, (pictured), currently serving as the global chief innovation officer at BCW, will maintain this role after the merger with Hill & Knowlton, forming Burson. He will spearhead Burson's innovation endeavors, particularly focusing on AI-driven solutions, and continue to cultivate a team of AI specialists spanning data, technology, and academia.Toups, the current global chief technology officer at H&K, will transition to the role of global chief digital and intelligence officer at Burson. Tasked with streamlining digital-first client solutions, Toups will lead a global team specializing in digital and social communications, reputation management, technology advisory, and advanced intelligence services.Additionally, Kief, currently holding the position of BCW's global chief technology officer, will maintain his role at Burson. He will oversee the enterprise technology strategy, including investments, deployments, and governance, while also driving product development through engineering teams.BCW global CEO Corey duBrowa, who will assume the role of global CEO at Burson, emphasized the significant impact of artificial intelligence and digital technologies on the communications sector. He highlighted Burson's commitment to leveraging these technologies to deliver innovative communication solutions, citing tools like Decipher and Sonar for predictive analytics and message testing. duBrowa expressed confidence in the appointed team's ability to uphold Burson's reputation as a leader in the industry.

UK financial services firm Buchanan Communications is joining Burson, expanding the number of brands under the new agency’s umbrella.Buchanan becomes part of Burson immediately. The agency, which WPP acquired in 1997, provides private and public companies services including capital market advisory on transactions including M&A, and crisis and change management.Buchanan also provides a comprehensive sustainability offering, including sustainability reporting and communications, along with creative services, including brand, website design, financial marketing collateral design, and digital content. The Buchanan team serves clients across consumer, leisure and gaming; energy and renewables; financial services; industrials and infrastructure; investment companies; life sciences and healthcare; mining and metals; professional services; and technology, media and telecommunications.  Buchanan will operate as a brand within Burson along with Hill & Knowlton, GCI Health and AxiCom. The integration of Buchanan comes ahead of BCW’s July 1 merger with sister WPP agency Hill & Knowlton into a single entity called Burson. The merger will create a $1bn PR firm that could arguably be the industry's biggest player.“Building reputation to grow brand and business value requires engagement across the full range of stakeholder audiences, including capital markets,” said BCW global CEO Corey duBrowa, who will be Burson’s global CEO Burson when the merger is completed. “Beyond strengthening financial confidence or ‘investability’ in an organization, managing relationships with investor audiences is crucial to optimizing and protecting a company’s valuation and reputation. Bringing the exceptional team at Buchanan to Burson gives us immediate strength in financial communications in key international markets and the firepower to expand this expertise at scale.”Buchanan chairman Richard Oldworth said, "The formation of Burson as the market-leading powerhouse in the global communications industry provides an exceptional opportunity for Buchanan to consolidate its leading position in London and expand its operations internationally. We share a common vision with Burson of building and protecting reputations, delivering significant value and placing our clients first, as capital markets evolve and present exciting global opportunities. Having the expansive global network and complementary skillsets which Burson provides will be of tremendous value to our existing and prospective clients."

BCW and Hill & Knowlton, which will merge as of July 1, 2024, to form Burson, today announced that leading financial communications and capital market advisory firm Buchanan Communications, part of WPP, will become part of Burson, effective immediately.Buchanan Communications specializes in supporting companies that require access to the capital markets to raise financing; optimize valuation; enhance reputation; and create new and lasting supporters among the investor, analyst and media communities. Founded in 1984 and acquired by WPP in 1997, Buchanan provides a fully integrated service for its publicly listed and private clients, which includes strategic counsel on relations with all capital market stakeholders, on all types of transactions (including M&A), as well as crisis and change management and all other corporate situations. Buchanan also provides a comprehensive sustainability offering, including sustainability reporting and communications, along with creative services, including brand, website design, financial marketing collateral design, and digital content.“Building reputation to grow brand and business value requires engagement across the full range of stakeholder audiences, including capital markets,” said Corey duBrowa, Global CEO, BCW, who will hold the same role with Burson upon completion of the merger. “Beyond strengthening financial confidence or ‘investability’ in an organization, managing relationships with investor audiences is crucial to optimizing and protecting a company’s valuation and reputation. Bringing the exceptional team at Buchanan to Burson gives us immediate strength in financial communications in key international markets and the firepower to expand this expertise at scale.”The Buchanan team serves clients across consumer, leisure and gaming; energy and renewables; financial services; industrials and infrastructure; investment companies; life sciences and healthcare; mining and metals; professional services; and technology, media and telecommunications."The formation of Burson as the market-leading powerhouse in the global communications industry provides an exceptional opportunity for Buchanan to consolidate its leading position in London and expand its operations internationally” said Richard Oldworth, Chairman of Buchanan.?“We share a common vision with Burson of building and protecting reputations, delivering significant value and placing our clients first, as capital markets evolve and present exciting global opportunities. Having the expansive global network and complementary skillsets which Burson provides will be of tremendous value to our existing and prospective clients.”Buchanan Communications will be a brand within Burson together with Hill & Knowlton, GCI Health and AxiCom.On January 25th, WPP announced it would merge its two largest communications agencies, BCW and Hill & Knowlton, to form Burson, a powerhouse delivering modern communications leadership at scale to clients across the world. The merged company will become an industry-leading, full-service communications agency focused on building and protecting reputation. Burson will be operational as of July 1, 2024.

Burson, the soon-to-be launched $1 billion PR firm formed by the merger of BCW and Hill & Knowlton, has appointed Laura Anderson as Chair of Technology for the Americas. Anderson brings over 25 years of experience in communications, having held leadership positions at companies like Google's DeepMind, Silver Lake, and Intel (where she spent nearly two decades, including two years as VP and GM of global communications).Anderson will officially begin her role on July 1st, coinciding with Burson's launch. In the interim, she will work with BCW starting April 22nd."Laura's extensive experience positions her perfectly to lead our Americas technology practice," said Kristine Boyden, CEO of BCW Americas (and future CEO of Burson). "Her deep understanding of the tech industry, from navigating policy issues to driving innovation, will be invaluable to our clients."Boyden continued, praising Anderson's ability to guide tech brands through challenges and build strong reputations. This expertise, Boyden believes, will benefit both Burson's regional and global technology clients.

Allison Cirullo, formerly Edelman's COO of global brand for nearly 17 years, has joined Burson to lead their consumer and brand division. She will also serve as global chair of consumer and brand, launching July 1 with the merger of WPP agencies BCW and Hill & Knowlton. Cirullo will additionally hold the position of North America chair of consumer and brand, starting April 15 until Burson's official launch.In her previous role, Cirullo oversaw the growth and operations of Edelman's global brand practice. Her extensive experience includes roles such as managing director of US brand and managing director of Chicago brand. BCW's global CEO, Corey duBrowa, who will lead Burson as CEO, praised Cirullo's expertise in building brands and enhancing reputation across various industries.Cirullo's move follows a series of senior departures from Edelman, including Jim O'Leary, who left after 15 years to join Weber Shandwick as North America CEO.