South Korea – Burson has named veteran communications leader HS Chung as its new Asia-Pacific CEO, expanding her role from North Asia-Pacific to the full region.
Chung has advised C-suite leaders from multinational brands across sectors such as food and beverage, electronics, personal care, automotive, and healthcare. She also leads specialised service offerings for the Korean government and has participated in several national projects, including the Olympics.
She founded Synergy Communications in January 2000, which was integrated into Hill & Knowlton in 2002. Prior to joining Burson, she served as Hill & Knowlton’s president for Asia.
At Burson, Chung has been overseeing the North Asia-Pacific markets of China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. Her expanded remit now covers the broader region, including Australia and New Zealand, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.
Chung will remain based in Seoul, with the appointment taking effect on December 1, 2025.
Speaking on her new role, Chung said it is an honour for her to lead the APAC region.
“We have strong momentum across the business and will continue to turn it into results through disciplined focus and execution,” she shared. “As our clients navigate unprecedented complexity, we are using our comprehensive AI capabilities and our exceptional talent bench to help businesses make decisions with clarity so they can succeed today and in the future. With the Asia-Pacific continuing to grow and shape the global economy, I’m excited to help our clients and teams seize the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Meanwhile, Adrian Warr, who has been leading South Asia-Pacific, will leave the region as he returns to the United Kingdom with his family. He will depart the business on November 30, 2025.
Corey duBrowa, global CEO of Burson, said, “HS has a combination of superpowers that make her very well-suited to lead the entire region. She is a trusted and sought-after CEO and C-suite advisor, a business builder, a talent advocate and an operational maven. These skills, together with her deep understanding of the cultural nuances across and between the markets, will enable Burson to continue delivering exceptional results for our clients and further build on our strong foundation across our Asia-Pacific footprint.”
He also expressed his gratitude to Adrian for his service and contribution to the agency.
“I’d like to extend my thanks to Adrian for his contributions to Burson during his time with us, for his leadership in driving our business in South Asia-Pacific and his partnership with HS and our leadership team. I wish him the very best in his future endeavours,” said duBrowa.
