Hill & Knowlton, BCW to merge
By Rob Bale
WPP has merged two of its communications agencies, Hill & Knowlton and Burson Cohn & Wolfe, into a new firm called Burson. The merged entity will go into operation on July 1. Corey duBrowa, global CEO of BCW, has been appointed global CEO of Burson. AnnaMaria DeSalva, global chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton, has been appointed global chairman of Burson. The agency will have approximately 6,000 employees in 43 international markets. Hill & Knowlton will continue to operate as a brand within Burson. GCI Health and AxiCom will also continue to operate within Burson.
“The combination of Hill & Knowlton and BCW is highly synergistic, creating a premier partner for business leaders who are focused on commercial growth, risk management and reputational capital,” said DeSalva. “Our body of work increasingly demonstrates that strategic communication, elevated by creativity, is a primary force for sustainable value creation. By accelerating our transformation through this combination, we will enable the investments in talent and technology that advance communications leadership when it has never mattered more.”