Public relations giant Burson, a recent merger between BCW and Hill & Knowlton under the WPP umbrella, has appointed Steve Rubel to the newly created role of Executive Vice President of Media Insights and Measurement. Rubel, a former digital leader at Edelman, began his new position at the end of April, reporting to Kari Butcher, Burson Americas Chair of Insights, Data, and Intelligence, who joined the firm earlier this year.Butcher emphasized Rubel's unique blend of deep understanding of earned media and strong analytical skills, stating via email that this combination will be crucial in developing innovative programs and demonstrating their business impact for Burson's clients.In a LinkedIn post on Wednesday, Rubel reflected on his nearly two decades at Edelman, an "original agency," and expressed his enthusiasm for joining another established PR firm. He described this new opportunity as the "most exciting chapter" of his career.While Rubel's new title at Burson shares similarities with his previous role as EVP of Media Insights and Strategy at Edelman, he noted that his responsibilities at Burson will specifically include a measurement component. He explained his focus will be on establishing a more analytical and data-driven approach to developing and executing earned media strategies, as well as refining Burson's methods for quantifying the value of earned media in a way that resonates with Chief Communications Officers, Chief Marketing Officers, and Chief Executive Officers.Rubel's departure from Edelman followed a significant workforce reduction of 5.3%, affecting 330 employees, which the agency attributed to revenue declines in the previous year. This restructuring also involved the discontinuation of several sub-brands and conflict shops under DJE Holdings. Edelman ultimately reported an 8% revenue decrease in the U.S. and a 5% global drop to $986 million in 2024. This second consecutive year of revenue decline resulted in Edelman losing its position as the top PR firm by U.S. revenue to Real Chemistry.Following his layoff in December, Rubel spent four months considering his next career move, seeking an agency where his skills and experience could make a significant contribution. He stated that Burson was his top choice.Rubel also highlighted Burson and WPP Open's "incredible stack" of artificial intelligence resources and indicated that AI will play a key role in the agency's approach to measurement. He expressed his excitement about the opportunity to help Burson develop a unique and innovative approach to measuring the impact of earned media, acknowledging that no one currently has all the answers in this area.Rubel's extensive experience includes nearly 20 years at Edelman, where he held various leadership positions, including SVP and Director of Insights, Chief Content Strategist, and most recently, EVP of Media Insights and Strategy. Before joining Edelman in 2006, he worked at CooperKatz & Company (now G&S Business Communications) and Schwartz PR Interactive, which was acquired by Publicis in 2011.Rubel joins a growing list of recent executive hires at Burson, including Amy McMichael Paddock as EVP and Samantha Wolf as EVP of Corporate and Public Affairs.According to PRWeek?ÇÖs Agency Business Report 2025, Burson experienced a global revenue decrease of 5% to $915 million and a 5% drop to $375 million in the U.S. in 2024. WPP's broader PR division, which also encompasses Ogilvy PR, reported a like-for-like revenue decline of 6.6% in the first quarter. Burson's performance during this period mirrored the previous quarter, where like-for-like revenue in WPP?ÇÖs PR arm fell by 5.3%. In December, WPP finalized the sale of a majority stake in FGS Global, a financial, corporate, and crisis specialist firm, to private equity firm KKR.