NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 – Burson, the global communications leader purpose-built to create value for clients through reputation, today announced that Jonathan Hughes will join the agency as CEO, EMEA. The appointment is effective in early June and he will be based in London.
“Jon is that rare breed of industry professional who is both a consummate client counselor, innovator and business builder,” said Corey duBrowa, Global CEO, Burson. “His track record speaks for itself, having built expansive teams; digital, technology, and creative services and expertise; and revenue across multiple regions. Jon’s operational acumen - together with his deep experience in corporate and crisis communications, executive visibility, corporate affairs and issues management - makes him the perfect fit to lead Burson’s important EMEA region and to help guide our clients through their most intricate challenges.”
Hughes joins Burson from Edelman where he spent four years, most recently as Chief Operating Officer, EMEA. Before that, Hughes spent 14 years with Golin, in successive leadership roles all marked by considerable business growth. As Co-Managing Director of the London office, he jointly built a team of 26 to more than 200 professionals and drove eight-figure revenue. His subsequent role as President, International, saw him move to Hong Kong to build out the agency’s Asia network by aligning areas of expertise, developing new digital and content capabilities, building an award-winning culture and scaling the business. In that time, he was also senior adviser to a global tech and media company as well as a senior adviser, speechwriter and corporate affairs specialist for a major global conglomerate.
He was then promoted to joint CEO (CEO+) focusing on Asia as well as Golin’s global corporate and technology practices. Later, in two years as CEO+ International, his remit expanded to include Golin’s EMEA team, clients and commercial operation. Earlier in his career Hughes served with Weber Shandwick and Ketchum.
“Clients, particularly in EMEA, are currently facing unprecedented opportunity and uncertainty in equal measure,” said Hughes. “Between the promise of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, increasing geopolitical uncertainty caused by global leadership changes, clients need highly skilled counselors steeped in data and creativity ready to guide them through rapid and dramatic transformation. I am thrilled to join Burson with its exceptional team that puts client success at the heart of everything it does. I’m looking forward to further building on this strong foundation and making Burson EMEA the destination for both clients looking for world-class agency partners and talented professionals looking to do impactful and meaningful work.”
With Hughes’ addition to the firm, current EMEA CEO Scott Wilson will depart Burson by the end of 2025.
“I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to Scott Wilson for everything he has done for us over the past 15 years with Burson, BCW and Cohn & Wolfe,” duBrowa continued. “Scott has been a strong and steady hand across a succession of roles - as UK CEO and regional managing director, and subsequently as regional CEO - guiding his teams to business and professional growth. I am extremely grateful for everything Scott has done for the organization, and I know I speak for all of us in wishing him every success in this next chapter.”
