Hill & Knowlton (H&K) has hired Kelli Parsons as its new global CEO, effective July 1. This transition comes as Hill & Knowlton prepares to operate under its own brand following its merger with BCW to form the newly established Burson entity.Parsons, currently the global chair of corporate affairs and advisory at H&K, will succeed AnnaMaria DeSalva, who has served as global chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton since June 2019. DeSalva will take on the role of global chairman of Burson following the merger.?Ç£Hill & Knowlton has played a seminal role in our industry since its inception, and our team has pursued a period of rigorous development over the last several years,?Ç¥ said DeSalva. ?Ç£We are thrilled that H&K will continue to grow its central role in strategic communication as part of Burson, and that Kelli Parsons will lead the firm going forward. Kelli is a highly trusted and admired leader in our field. She has been a guiding force on our leadership team since rejoining H&K in 2020. Following her years in major client leadership roles and two substantial tours of duty as a senior leader at Hill & Knowlton, as CEO Kelli will bring deep knowledge of our industry, our people and clients, and vision for the opportunities ahead. I am proud to advance this leadership transition, and I look forward to continuing to work with Kelli and to supporting Hill & Knowlton?ÇÖs future success in my new role."Parsons has been instrumental in expanding H&K?ÇÖs global advisory business since rejoining the firm in 2020, after serving as chief communications officer for United Technologies. Her previous roles include chief communications and marketing officer at New York Life and chief communications officer at Fannie Mae. During her first tenure at H&K from 1998 to 2008, Parsons led the New York and Washington markets, corporate and technology practices, and managed the firm's largest global client relationships.Corey duBrowa, BCW global CEO and incoming global CEO of Burson, commented, ?Ç£Hill & Knowlton brings exceptionally complementary expertise and brand equity to the flagship Burson and will serve as a powerful offering alongside Axicom, Buchanan Communications, and GCI Health in our group of brands, which together offer clients world-class expertise across every global industry and sector. H&K?ÇÖs expert strategic counsel and focus on the business impact of reputation creates significant value for clients, and I look forward to its continued success under Kelli?ÇÖs leadership.?Ç¥Parsons also serves as the chair of Page (formerly the Page Society), reinforcing her prominent role in the communications industry.

UK financial services firm Buchanan Communications is joining Burson, expanding the number of brands under the new agency?ÇÖs 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?ÇÖs 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.?Ç£Building reputation to grow brand and business value requires engagement across the full range of stakeholder audiences, including capital markets,?Ç¥ said BCW global CEO Corey duBrowa, who will be Burson?ÇÖs global CEO Burson when the merger is completed. ?Ç£Beyond strengthening financial confidence or ?Çÿinvestability?ÇÖ in an organization, managing relationships with investor audiences is crucial to optimizing and protecting a company?ÇÖs 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.?Ç¥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.?Ç£Building reputation to grow brand and business value requires engagement across the full range of stakeholder audiences, including capital markets,?Ç¥ said Corey duBrowa, Global CEO, BCW, who will hold the same role with Burson upon completion of the merger. ?Ç£Beyond strengthening financial confidence or ?Çÿinvestability?ÇÖ in an organization, managing relationships with investor audiences is crucial to optimizing and protecting a company?ÇÖs 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.?Ç¥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?Ç¥ said Richard Oldworth, Chairman of Buchanan.??Ç£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.?Ç¥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.