NEW YORK, Sept. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/
-- Burson-Marsteller, a leading global strategic
communications and public relations firm, has named Mike Fernandez
Chair of its Global Corporate and Financial Practice. Based
in New York, he will spearhead
client development, strategy and new offerings for the Corporate
and Financial Practice worldwide.
Fernandez has served as the chief communications officer for
five large U.S.-based corporations across diverse industries,
including financial, technology, consumer goods and services, and
health care. Most recently, he led global corporate affairs
at Cargill, where for the last six years he was responsible for
communications, brand and marketing services, government relations,
and corporate social responsibility. He and his teams have won
numerous awards and recognitions, and he has become known for
leading teams that serve business aims, manage corporate crises
successfully and build stakeholder relationships that solve
real-world problems and enhance reputations.
"Burson-Marsteller is excited to welcome Mike Fernandez to be a key part of our global
leadership team," said Don Baer,
Worldwide Chair and CEO, Burson-Marsteller, to whom Fernandez will
report. "Mike is the uncommon professional with both depth and
breadth across multiple communications disciplines and industries.
He has been a trusted adviser to and delivered results for many
CEOs and C-suite leaders facing critical issues across many
sectors, and he has done this as both an expert strategic counselor
and a driver of newer integrated communications approaches. Mike
will bring a deep dedication to ensuring we thrive as the best
ideas-driven, evidence-based, results-oriented firm in the world,
and I look forward to working closely with him."
Before joining Cargill – the world's largest privately held
company and one of the world's leading producers and marketers of
food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services
– Fernandez was chief communications officer for four Fortune
500 companies, including State Farm Insurance, ConAgra Foods,
Cigna and US West, and before that he held marketing and public
relations roles at Kodak. Earlier in his career, he served as Press
Secretary to U.S. Senator Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, where at age 23
he was the youngest U.S. Senate Press Secretary ever and only the
second Latino to serve in such a role.
"I'm thrilled to join Burson-Marsteller; it has long been the
firm that companies engage when the stakes are highest and
communications matter most," said Fernandez. "I am impressed by the
firm's talent who are reshaping the industry, engaging new
channels, empowering new stakeholders and enabling their clients to
do more and be more. I am especially eager to help our
clients navigate new challenges and change, and build stronger and
deeper relationships with stakeholders that matter."
Fernandez has been listed on PRWeek's Power List of the
top 50 PR professionals in the U.S., and the Holmes Report's
Influence 100 list of the top 100 PR professionals in the world. He
serves on the boards of two professional organizations: The
Institute for Public Relations and the Arthur W. Page Society.
Fernandez was inducted into the PRWeek Hall of Fame in
2015. He also has received the Institute for Public Relations'
Alexander Hamilton Medal, the
Hispanic Public Relations Association's first Pioneer Award, the
PRSA Foundation's Paladin Award and the Plank Center's Milestones
in Mentoring Award. In 2014 his Cargill team won PRWeek's
Global Program of the Year Award and in 2015 Fortune
magazine listed Cargill among 50 "Change the World" companies that
are making a positive impact on the world.
He earned a bachelor's degree and a graduate business degree
from Georgetown University.
About Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global
strategic communications and public relations firm. It provides
clients with strategic thinking and program execution across a full
range of public relations, public affairs, reputation and crisis
management, advertising and digital strategies. The firm's seamless
worldwide network consists of 73 offices and 85 affiliate offices,
together operating in 110 countries across six continents.
Burson-Marsteller is a part of Young & Rubicam Group, a
subsidiary of WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY), the world's leader in
communications services. For more information, please visit
www.burson-marsteller.com.
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SOURCE Burson-Marsteller