News

Edelman hires global public affairs chief

- -

Edelman has announced the appointment of Katie Burke as chairman of the global Public Affairs practice.

Burke will report to Alan VanderMolen, vice chairman, DJE Holdings and president & CEO, Global Practices, Edelman. She succeeds Rob Rehg, who will remain president of the Washington, D.C. office, one of the firm’s five global hubs.

Since taking over the D.C. office seven years ago, Rehg has grown the business by 62 percent and helped turn Edelman into a leader in the region.

Alan VanderMolen said:“Katie’s appointment represents an increased investment from Edelman in public affairs, and a pivot from a multi-local to a global approach. It will also help us build upon our leadership position in Washington, D.C. Our clients will benefit hugely from her political background and strong understanding of the D.C. market.”

Burke is currently global chief of staff for Edelman and one of the firm’s top CEO and C-suite strategic advisors. She works with clients including Nielsen, McGraw Hill Financial and Western Union. Burke previously led the Public Affairs offering for Edelman New York.

Burke said of her new position:”It is an incredibly exciting time for global public affairs at Edelman. As we continue to both grow our business and invest in this important practice, I can’t wait to partner with our impressive global team as we bring meaningful results to our clients.”

Prior to joining Edelman, Burke served as communications director and spokeswoman for presidential and gubernatorial campaigns, as well as a senior member of the White House Communications team.

As chief spokeswoman and communications director for the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Campaign, Burke oversaw the press office, rapid response team, war room, regional
press operation and national surrogate program. She also served as communications director for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s successful re-election campaign in California.

Before joining the Schwarzenegger campaign, Burke served as director of television news at the White House during the George W. Bush’s second term. In that role, she was the primary liaison and spokeswoman for all television network executives, anchors and producers. As a senior member of the White House Communications team, Burke was involved in a wide range of areas including foreign policy and national security, economic policy and Supreme Court nominations.

Prior to her post in the White House, Burke worked on Capitol Hill for 5 years as a legislative aide and as a communications director.

A graduate of Skidmore College, Burke received her Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration from the London School of Economics. She is a member of the Advisory Board for the Masters in Communications program at Sacred Heart University, where she is also a guest lecturer.

business Edelman investment Nielsen Public affairs Report

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *