Burson has appointed Adrian Warr, former Edelman leader, as CEO of South Asia-Pacific, a position initially designated for Matt Stafford, the former president of BCW Asia-Pacific who has departed from the company.Stafford's departure from BCW comes after his tenure as Asia-Pacific president since 2016, having joined BCW's predecessor, Cohn & Wolfe. Additionally, Stafford held the role of BCW global president of practices & sectors since 2022.In February, BCW and H&K had announced Stafford as Burson's CEO of South Asia-Pacific, as part of the initial round of regional leadership appointments. However, details surrounding Stafford's departure were not disclosed by a spokesperson.Warr will be responsible for overseeing Burson's operations in India, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. His tenure with Burson will commence on September 16, approximately two months after the official launch of Burson on July 1, following the merger of BCW and Hill & Knowlton Strategies.Having spent the past decade with Edelman in Asia, Warr held various roles, including APAC vice chair of practices and sectors. Before that, he served as APAC head of employee experience, CEO of Southeast Asia, and CEO of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand.Prior to his tenure at Edelman, Warr spent 12 years in London, holding positions such as a partner at Portland and an associate board director at Freuds Communications. Additionally, he served in various roles during his seven-year tenure with H&K.Corey duBrowa, the global CEO of BCW, who will also hold the same title at Burson, expressed confidence in Warr's ability to lead the South APAC business. He highlighted Warr's expertise in blending creativity with innovation to assist clients in navigating challenges and building their reputations amidst geopolitical, social, and commercial complexities.

Chris McCafferty, who served as group CEO of MSL London and sustainability consultancy Salterbaxter, is departing the firm. Taking his place is Rebecca Grant, former CEO of BCW London, who will now lead as chief executive of Publicis’ UK Influence practice.In her new role, Grant will helm MSL, Taylor Herring, and Salterbaxter, while also expanding her responsibilities as EMEA chief client officer for Publicis' influence practice within the French-owned holding group.McCafferty, having led for over four years, has chosen to step down to pursue fresh challenges. Reflecting on his tenure, he expressed pride in fostering inclusive growth and prioritizing people-centric decisions. He emphasized the transformative impact on both commercial and personnel fronts, noting the industry's positive reception to their approach.As CEO of Publicis Groupe UK’s influence practice, Grant will drive growth strategies for existing agencies, collaborating with agency leaders and the Publicis Groupe UK executive committee. Her role as chief client officer will concentrate on identifying novel avenues to create value for multi-market clients. Grant will report directly to Demet Ikiler, CEO of Publicis Groupe EMEA.Grant arrives with a wealth of experience, having spent 13 years at BCW, where she held positions including CEO for BCW UK and global chief brand officer. Notably, she spearheaded the merger of Cohn & Wolfe and Burson-Marsteller in the UK before assuming the role of CEO in 2018. Prior to her tenure at BCW, Grant held leadership roles at Cohn & Wolfe and Weber Shandwick, among others.Grant's team will include Jo Grierson, managing director of MSL, James Herring and Cath Taylor, co-founders of Taylor Herring, and Steve Lindsay, managing director of Salterbaxter.Commenting on Grant's appointment, Publicis Groupe EMEA CEO Demet Ikiler commended her leadership prowess and proven track record of driving innovation and growth. Ikiler expressed confidence in Grant's ability to advance the Influence practice in the UK and expand solutions across EMEA, collaborating with agency leaders in the region. Ikiler also extended best wishes to McCafferty in his future endeavors.In response, Grant expressed enthusiasm for joining Publicis Groupe UK during a period of substantial growth and innovation, particularly in AI and data intelligence. She looks forward to building on the foundation laid by the agency portfolio and ushering in a new phase of growth, recognizing the pivotal role of influence in brand and business success.