CMC Connect Becomes Burson-Marsteller Nigeria’s Affiliate

Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and communications firm, on Monday announced the launch of CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria.

The announcement marks the further strengthening of the long-standing relationship between the two companies, and brings the total number of Burson-Marsteller branded operations across the continent to 29.

This follows the simultaneous announcement in February 2014 of 27 branded operations and the subsequent launch of Brainchild Burson-Marsteller in Uganda in November 2014.

The full Burson-Marsteller Africa network covers 53 of the 55 countries on the continent.

In addition, after building a very strong partnership on a non-exclusive basis over a number of years, Burson-Marsteller today announced the signature of an exclusive affiliate agreement with Blast Communications covering the Indian Ocean Islands including Mauritius, where the company has its hub office, Madagascar, the Seychelles, the Comoros Islands and Reunion.

The announcement of Back Communications in Angola joining the Burson-Marsteller Africa network on an exclusive affiliate basis, rounded off the announcement.

“For 26 years our commitment to growing partnerships has underpinned Burson-Marsteller’s activities across Africa. Today this sees us very strongly positioned with a pan-African, Burson-Marsteller branded network of communications consultancies, individually respected in their own countries and collectively recognised as the pre-eminent African communications network. We are delighted to launch CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller and to bring Blast Communications and Back Communications even closer into our fold,” said Robyn de Villiers, Burson-Marsteller chairman and CEO, Africa.

“We are thrilled to be responsible for flying the Burson-Marsteller flag in the Nigerian market.  This is a significant honour and we will ensure that this leads to a significant growth of equity for the brand in our market.  At the same time, we will bring the strength of the affiliation to bear on the service offering we are able to provide to clients in Nigeria through closer alignment with the global organization. We will grow the brand and strengthen its position in our market. The launch could not have come at a better time for us and for Burson-Marsteller given Nigeria’s position as one of the strongest economies on the African continent,” added Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, CEO of CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller.

Jeremy Galbraith, CEO Burson-Marsteller Europe, Middle East & Africa and Global Chief Strategy Officer concluded this way, “A key component of many of our clients’ global business strategies is growing their businesses across the rapidly emerging continent of Africa. Today’s announcements are testament to our commitment to being where our clients need us to be – notably in 53 of the 55 markets on the continent, offering world-class strategic communications services that will contribute to their overall business success.”

Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global public relations and communications 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 72 offices and 85 affiliate offices, together operating in 110 countries across six continents. Burson-Marsteller is a unit of WPP, the world’s leading communications services network.

And with its 20+ years of client service experience and 500+ strong team serving clients on the ground across Africa, Burson-Marsteller Africa is the pre-eminent African public relations network.

Through its network of affiliates in 53 of the 55 African countries – the majority of them branded Burson-Marsteller – it offers an unequalled footprint and a tailored for Africa approach.

The Burson-Marsteller Africa network is headquartered in Johannesburg and continues to be run by Chairman and CEO for Africa, Robyn de Villiers, who has built the network over more than two decades.