Burson ANZ Leader Tom Horn Exits Amid WPP PR Unit Sale Talks
Burson ANZ leader Tom Horn departs for in-house role as WPP considers selling its global PR business. Second senior exit in weeks signals leadership instability.
WPP's Burson has lost its Australia and New Zealand leader Tom Horn, who announced his move to an in-house crisis communications role at cyber legal and advisory firm Atmos. The departure follows that of Asia-Pacific leader Adrian Warr and comes as WPP is reportedly considering a sale of its global PR business.
Two Senior Exits in Quick Succession
Horn, who is based in Brisbane, joined WPP's PR network in January 2019 through Burson Cohn & Wolfe. He assumed leadership of Burson ANZ following the agency's merger with Hill & Knowlton in June 2024.
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Writing on LinkedIn, Horn said the move "has been a while in the works and is a deliberate shift after many years in the global PR space." He added that cyber and privacy are "among the most pervasive and fast-moving risks organisations face" and that he looks forward to building in that space.
WPP confirmed that Horn's Sydney-based deputy, Jessie Gogan, will lead the ANZ operation, stating this will "ensure continuity for our clients, our people, and the business."
Regional Oversight Shifts to Seoul
Horn's exit is the second senior local departure in recent weeks. Adrian Warr, who held the role of CEO for South Asia-Pacific, covering markets including India, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, departed on November 30, 2025, after more than a decade in Asia. He returned to the UK with his family.
The day after Warr's departure, on December 1, 2025, HS Chung was promoted to CEO for the full Asia-Pacific region. Chung, previously North Asia-Pacific CEO, now oversees all 18 offices across 19 countries in the region. She remains based in Seoul, South Korea.
The move consolidates what had been a North/South split model into a single regional leadership structure anchored in Northeast Asia.
Post-Merger Context and Organizational Scale
The leadership changes follow a period of significant structural change at Burson. WPP merged Burson Cohn & Wolfe and Hill & Knowlton into the unified Burson brand in mid-2024. That integration triggered the simultaneous appointment of nine country and market leaders across Asia-Pacific on June 20, 2024, covering markets from Australia and New Zealand to Greater China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asia.
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BCW's Asia-Pacific President Matt Stafford departed immediately before the merger, removing a key integration architect at a critical moment. Warr was appointed South APAC CEO on September 16, 2024, but departed just over 14 months later.
Leadership changes at Burson in 2025 have extended beyond Asia-Pacific. The agency appointed a new Global Chief Creative Officer in January 2025, a new EMEA CEO in June 2025, a new CEO for the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey in September 2025, and an expanded Global Chief Corporate Strategy Officer in November 2025.
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Reported Sale Consideration Adds Uncertainty
The exits come shortly after reports that WPP is considering a sale of Burson. No confirmed announcement or timeline for any such transaction has been made public. WPP also operates some PR activities through Ogilvy.
Burson's presence in Asia-Pacific dates to 1973, with initial operations in Hong Kong and Japan. The agency's 19-country network includes specialized teams covering corporate affairs, sustainability, digital intelligence, and public affairs.
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