Burson-Marsteller is about to appoint a senior consultant on
European affairs in a newly-created post within its public affairs
practice.
The appointment will follow the departure of B-M Brussels’ director of
public affairs and crisis management, Stefan Gijssels, and a general
restructuring of the office’s public affairs offering, in readiness for
the gathering pace of European integration.
The new European affairs consultant will be based in Brussels. ’We hope
to recruit a very senior consultant with public affairs experience to
help our clients prepare for, implement and take advantage of coming
changes in Europe, particularly the single currency initiative,’ said
Ferry De Bakker, European chief executive officer.
The successful candidate will report to B-M’s government and public
affairs practice chair Thomas Blach, who is based in Copenhagen.
B-M has a five-strong public affairs team in Brussels. It also owns 85
per cent of local public affairs firm Robinson Linton, which handles
business for B-M clients and works closely with the international
agency’s public affairs team in London.
In an attempt to integrate the two agencies’ work more closely, Robinson
Linton will move into B-M’s Brussels office next year. The firm’s
founders, Peter Linton and John Robinson, will become managing directors
at B-M.
Robinson Linton will continue to operate under its own name, but
negotiations are under way for B-M to buy up all of the shares in the
agency.
