Burson-Marsteller Brussels

David Harley to join Burson-Marsteller Brussels as Senior Advisor

News, Press releases • 15th March 2010

Brussels, 15 March 2010 – David Harley, the former Deputy Secretary-General of the European Parliament, is to join Burson-Marsteller as a Senior Advisor from 1 April this year.

Harley will be joining the successful and award winning public affairs practice within Burson-Marsteller, acting as a strategic adviser to its clients in Brussels and internationally. He brings with him a wealth of experience in the EU institutions and working with the media.

A British national, Harley began a long and distinguished career in the European Parliament in 1975. Commenting on his appointment, Harley said: “I am delighted to be joining Burson-Marsteller, which is the leading public affairs firm in Brussels. I have long been aware of BM’s well-deserved reputation for innovation and creativity, and of the great work it does in many fields, carried out transparently and with integrity. After a long career in the EP, I am excited by this new challenge and very much look forward to getting down to work.”

Robert Mack, CEO of Burson-Marsteller Brussels, said: “We are very proud to have someone of David Harley’s impeccable reputation joining our team. His insights into the inner workings of the EU Institutions, together with his long experience in communications and government relations, will be helpful to our clients as they contribute their views to the development of a wide range of EU policies.” In addition to David Harley having fully complied with the requirements under the rules for senior officials leaving the EP, he and Burson-Marsteller have agreed at their own initiative that he will not have any contact with Parliament staff or Members on behalf of Burson-Marsteller or its clients for a period of six months after leaving the institution on 28 February 2010.

Harley’s first prominent role in Brussels, between 1987 and 1989, was as advisor to the then European Parliament President Lord Plumb. In 1999, Harley was appointed Director of Information of the Parliament – and then, in 2002, Director of Media and Spokesman for then European Parliament President Pat Cox. In 2004, he became Secretary-General of the Parliamentary Group of the Party of European Socialists, before assuming the role of Deputy Secretary-General of the European Parliament in 2007.

ENDS

For further information:

Robert Mack, CEO, Burson-Marsteller Brussels.
Tel: +32 2 743 66 11.
Email: Robert.mack@bm.com

About Burson-Marsteller

Burson-Marsteller (www.burson-marsteller.com), 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, advertising and web-related services. The firm’s seamless worldwide network consists of 71 wholly owned offices and 58 affiliate offices, together operating in 83 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.

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