PR Masters Series Episode #90 - Burson’s Global Leadership
Welcome to the PR Masters Podcast, your premier destination for stories and insights from the trailblazers of the public relations industry. We're thrilled to kick off a brand-new season with a truly special episode, featuring the global leadership of one of the most iconic names in PR – Burson. Joining us today are Corey duBrowa, Global CEO, and AnnaMaria DeSalva, Global Chairman of Burson.
This episode holds particular significance for me, as Burson-Marsteller played an important role in shaping my career. I’ll never forget the impact Harold Burson had on me personally. At just twenty-six, I was named PR Director at Prentice-Hall, a major book publishing company, despite having little experience. One of my first tasks was to find a PR agency, and Burson-Marsteller was on the list. I reached out to Harold Burson himself, and to my surprise, he made the trip to Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, to meet with me.
That visit remains one of the highlights of my career. Harold recognized the pressure I was under and immediately decided to mentor me. He offered his time, not for a fee, but because he genuinely wanted to help. He shared his wisdom, sent me books and articles, and introduced me to other professionals within Burson who guided me. His kindness and generosity were overwhelming, and his mentorship became the foundation of my professional growth.
Harold Burson was more than a mentor; he was an inspiration. He nurtured my confidence and helped me develop the skills I needed to succeed. His influence on my life was profound, and I will always be grateful for the generosity and wisdom he shared. Harold, you were truly one of a kind.
So, sit back and enjoy this special conversation with Burson's global leadership, and gain valuable insights from two of the top minds in public relations today. Don't miss this opportunity—tune in to the PR Masters Podcast now!
About Our Guests
Corey duBrowa, Global CEO, Burson
Corey duBrowa is the global CEO of Burson, the global communications leader purpose-built to create value for clients through reputation. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of Burson’s parent company WPP plc, the creative transformation company.
Corey brings a 30-year career at brands, technology companies and agencies to his role leading the flagship Burson and Burson Group of companies, which includes Axicom, earned-first global communications agency for tech brands and brands with a tech story; Burson Buchanan, the financial communications and capital markets advisory firm; GCI Health, the global healthcare specialty communications agency inspired by people; and Hill & Knowlton, the full-service global firm and proven partner for business and brand transformation, providing strategic communication, marketing and corporate affairs solutions
Before Burson, Corey was Global CEO of BCW and the BCW Group of companies. He came to BCW after spending five years as Vice President of Global Communications and Public Affairs at Google and parent company Alphabet. Before his tenure at Google, Corey was Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at Salesforce, and spent seven years at Starbucks as Senior Vice President of Global Communications. He has extensive agency experience from his time at Waggener Edstrom and Ketchum Public Relations, having begun his career in employee communications at Nike.
His multiple industry awards over the past 25 years include six SABREs, four PRWeek Global Awards and three PRSA Silver Anvils, and he has been inducted into the PR News Hall of Fame. He currently serves on the University of Oregon Foundation’s Board of Trustees and the PR Museum’s Board of Trustees. He was a trustee of the Arthur W. Page Society for five years and a founding member of the USC Annenberg School’s Board of Advisors. Corey was a music journalist for two decades, with more than a thousand bylines in publications ranging from Rolling Stone to GQ. In 2024, he published his first book, “An Ideal for Living: A Celebration of the E.P. – Extended Play.” Corey earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oregon.
AnnaMaria DeSalva, Global Chairman, Burson
AnnaMaria DeSalva is the global chairman of the Burson Group, the global communications leader purpose-built to create value for clients through reputation. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of parent company WPP plc, the creative transformation company.
From June 2019 and until the creation of Burson through the merger of BCW and Hill & Knowlton in July 2024, AnnaMaria served as global chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton, one of the world's foremost strategic communications firms with more than 70 offices across nearly 40 markets globally. During her tenure, she led the company through a period of rapid development and renewal, expanding advisory services, creative and technology capabilities, and leadership in major industrial sectors such as technology, healthcare and energy and industrials. In 2023, Hill & Knowlton completed a comprehensive rebranding, resetting service offerings to reflect its growth and its evolving role in strategic transformation. Hill & Knowlton continues to operate as a major brand within the Burson group of companies, which includes flagship company Burson, GCI Health, Axicom, and Burson Buchanan, in addition to Hill & Knowlton.
Previously, AnnaMaria served as Chief Communications Officer of DuPont, and subsequently as a senior advisor to Ed Breen, the CEO of DowDuPont, as he advanced the separation and launch of new independent public companies. During her tenure, AnnaMaria restructured the communications function, establishing new standards and protocols to reduce reputation risk and improve performance, while ensuring the company successfully navigated a series of special situations demanding highly sensitive and effective public strategies, including a proxy battle with an activist shareholder; a CEO transition; and the $130 billion merger of equals with Dow leading to the subsequent break-up and creation of three new industry-leading companies.
Before joining DuPont, AnnaMaria spent five years as a vice president of corporate affairs at Pfizer, where she was initially dedicated to the integration of the $68 billion acquisition of Wyeth, with a focus on the newly combined innovation engine. She focused on efforts to improve R&D productivity and reputation as a member of the R&D leadership team and the Portfolio Strategy and Investment Committee – repositioning the company, building investor confidence, and centering the culture on mission and purpose. When she left Pfizer in 2014, she was the head of the corporate affairs effort spanning communications, policy, and government affairs for the innovative core of the company.
Earlier, she served as the global healthcare practice leader at Hill & Knowlton and GCI Group, both WPP companies, delivering significant revenue growth for each firm. While serving in this role, the Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration appointed AnnaMaria as a special advisor to the Agency for risk communication. Previously at Bristol-Myers Squibb, she led international public affairs in oncology, working principally in Europe, and later became director of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation.
AnnaMaria has spent seven years on the boards of Fortune 500 companies, most recently as a member of the board of directors of RXO [NYSE: RXO], a leading technology enabled brokered transportation provider, where she chaired the Nominating, Governance, and Sustainability Committee. She previously served as vice chairman of the board of directors of XPO Logistics [NYSE: XPO], where she completed more than five years of board service on November 1, 2022, when XPO spun out RXO and she joined the inaugural RXO board. In September 2022, she completed seven years of service on the Board of Governors of Argonne National Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy. In December 2022, Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia appointed AnnaMaria to the Board of Visitors of William & Mary, her alma mater. AnnaMaria is a Trustee of the Committee for Economic Development of the Conference Board, a member of the Partnership for New York City, and a member of The Economic Club of New York.
