Empresas y finanzas

Burson-Marsteller Appoints Simon Pangrazio President and CEO Asia Pacific



    Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and public
    affairs consultancy, today announced it has appointed Simon Pangrazio
    as President and Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific effective
    January 1, 2008. Pangrazio, who has been with the firm for 11 years,
    will report to Burson-Marsteller CEO Mark Penn and joins the company's
    global leadership team. Pangrazio succeeds Bill Rylance, who becomes
    Chairman, Asia Pacific and the company's Vice Chairman for Global
    Development.

    Pangrazio is based in Hong Kong and will assume leadership of the
    firm's wholly-owned network of offices through-out the Asia Pacific
    region. The network includes offices in India, Singapore, Indonesia,
    Mainland China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and Australia. Pangrazio will
    work with the regional and global leadership teams to expand the
    firm's geographic footprint in the Asia Pacific region, service and
    grow existing client relationships, develop new business
    opportunities, further differentiate its suite of digital services and
    continue to attract and develop the strongest industry talent.

    "Simon's appointment from within Burson-Marsteller demonstrates
    the depth of our leadership team in Asia Pacific," said Mark Penn.
    "Asia Pacific is a critical growth market for Burson-Marsteller as
    well as for many of our clients. This appointment will help keep the
    region strong through a continuity of focus and a smooth transition of
    leadership."

    Pangrazio, 41, joined Burson-Marsteller in 1996 in Melbourne and
    has held senior country, sub-regional, client leadership and corporate
    practice roles during tenures in Singapore, Tokyo, Beijing and Hong
    Kong. He has had a critical role in driving the firm's strategic
    direction in Asia Pacific as a member of the region's senior
    leadership team since 2000. Currently, Pangrazio is Regional Managing
    Director for North Asia and leads Burson-Marsteller's
    Corporate/Financial Practice for the Asia Pacific region.

    During his career, Pangrazio has provided senior counsel to major
    multi-national companies and organizations in sectors including
    banking and financial services, mining, technology,
    telecommunications, FMCG and tourism. He has also provided counsel to
    clients based throughout the region including: Japan, Korea, Hong
    Kong, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Vietnam,
    Thailand and the Philippines.

    Before joining Burson-Marsteller, Pangrazio was an associate
    director at another major public relations consultancy and worked for
    seven years in corporate affairs roles with financial services
    provider National Mutual, which now operates as AXA.

    Originally from Australia, Pangrazio has a Bachelor of Arts in
    public relations from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

    About Burson-Marsteller

    Burson-Marsteller (www.burson-marsteller.com), established in
    1953, is a leading global public relations and public affairs firm. It
    provides clients with strategic thinking and program execution across
    a full range of public relations, public affairs, advertising, and
    web-related services. The firm's seamless worldwide network consists
    of 57 wholly-owned offices and 46 affiliate offices, together
    operating in 59 countries across six continents. Burson-Marsteller is
    a part of Young & Rubicam Brands, a subsidiary of WPP (NASDQ: WPPGY),
    one of the world's leading communications services networks.