Burson-Marsteller

Burson-Marsteller Switzerland reassigns responsibilities within its Executive Board

von Urs Rellstab am 9. Januar 2012 • Medienmitteilungen

Zurich, 9 January 2012. Burson-Marsteller announces a reassignation in its executive board: Martin Hofer, previously Head Corporate Communications, will head the Public Affairs Practice. Ute Dehn Christen, previously Head Corporate Financial Communications, will lead the Corporate & Financial Communications Practice.

Burson-Marsteller, Switzerland’s leading global communications agency, reassigns responsibilities within its Public Affairs and Corporate Practice with effect from 1 January 2012:

Martin Hofer, previously Head Corporate Communications, replaces Theo Zijdenbos as Head Public Affairs. Theo Zijdenbos will maintain his senior advisory role with selected key clients in Public Affairs. Martin Hofer joined B-M as a Senior Consultant in 2005; he has been a member of the Executive Board since 2007. As former Executive Producer of the TV newscast 10vor10, Senior Editor of Sonntags-Blick and a journalist of long standing, he has broad experience in Swiss politics and its interfaces with various industries and associations. Martin Hofer has a proven track record with Public Affairs clients and will also remain in charge of argumentation and media trainings.

Ute Dehn Christen, previously Head Corporate Finance, will resume overall responsibility for the Corporate & Financial Communications Practice. Ute Dehn joined Burson-Marsteller in October 2010. Her main fields of expertise include reputation management, media and investor relations, corporate publishing, sponsoring and corporate social responsibility as well as change management. Before joining Burson-Marsteller, Ute Dehn Christen was Head of Communications & PR and a member of the management board at GE Money Bank. Prior to her tenure at GE Money Bank, she held senior communications and marketing positions at UBS over a period of ten years.

The arrival of Chris Cartwright as new Managing Director of Burson-Marsteller Geneva was recently announced. Chris Cartwright joined B-M Switzerland from Burson-Marsteller in the UK, where he was Chair of the UK Corporate, Issues and Technology Practice. Chris Cartwright has 18 years experience in public relations, crisis communications and change management working with clients in the tourism sector (Alitalia, SWISS International Airlines), rail (Amey plc, Russian Railways), logistics (TNT, Deutsche Post, DHL), technology (Cisco, HP, Oracle), engineering (Eaton) and FMCG sectors (Kimberly Clark, Bosch). Chris Cartwright replaces Tony Burgener, who has moved to a new post as Director of the Glückskette (Swiss Solidarity).

“With our strengthened management team, we will consolidate our established position in the Swiss market and enhance our status as the leading global communications agency in Switzerland. The broadened expertise will enable us to meet the increasingly demanding requirements for integrated, strategic and global communications”, said Urs Rellstab, CEO of Burson-Marsteller Switzerland.

Contact:

Dr Urs Rellstab
CEO Burson-Marsteller, Switzerland
urs.rellstab@bm.com
T: +41 44 455 84 00

 

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