Capabilities across the network
Corporate, digital, financial, issues and crisis, marketing, media relations, public affairs, reputation, and training.
Leadership
Robyn de Villiers, Chairman & CEO, Africa.
Robyn de Villiers leads Burson-Marsteller's African network and is one of the firm's named crisis communications contacts, together with Ruth Kolevsohn. Her experience anchors the firm's capabilities across corporate communications, issues and crisis management, public affairs, and reputation management.
Under her leadership, the network has continued to expand its presence on the continent, including the launch of Brainchild Burson-Marsteller in Kampala, Uganda, and a new Burson-Marsteller presence in Cape Town, South Africa, both announced on 4 November 2014.
- Chairman and CEO, Burson-Marsteller Africa
- Crisis communications contact
- Long-standing advisor to corporate and public-sector clients
Strategic communications on the African continent demand a nuanced understanding of diverse markets, cultures, and regulatory landscapes. Burson-Marsteller Africa brings together deep local insight with the rigor of a global public relations and communications firm, offering counsel grounded in evidence rather than assumption. The network helps organisations navigate complex stakeholder environments, build reputation, and communicate with clarity across borders.
The African network operates from its Johannesburg headquarters, supported by an extensive affiliate structure that extends reach into multiple markets across the continent. This model ensures that clients benefit from both central strategic direction and on-the-ground execution informed by local realities. The combination of regional presence and international standards creates a communications capability that is both cohesive and contextually intelligent.
Evidence-based counsel forms the foundation of the firm's approach to reputation management and stakeholder engagement. Rather than relying on intuition alone, the network draws on research, data analysis, and a thorough understanding of the media and political environments in which its clients operate. This commitment to measurable insight allows organisations to make informed decisions about how they communicate and with whom.
The network's heritage reflects a long-standing presence in the African communications landscape, evolving through strategic milestones that have strengthened its connection to global best practice. The integration with a worldwide public relations firm brought enhanced resources, methodologies, and access to cross-border expertise while preserving the local knowledge that distinguishes the Africa offering.
Corporate communications, crisis and issues management, public affairs, and digital engagement all fall within the breadth of services delivered across the network. Each discipline is approached with the same emphasis on strategic thinking and tailored execution, recognising that no two markets or organisational challenges are identical. Adaptability remains central to the way the firm designs and implements its programmes.
The firm's digital and social media capabilities reflect the rapidly changing ways in which African audiences consume information and form opinions. Platforms and channels continue to shift, and the network helps clients stay ahead of these changes with integrated strategies that connect traditional media relations with digital storytelling, content creation, and online stakeholder dialogue.
