Robert Phillips

CEO, Edelman

Robert Phillips, 45, is the UK CEO of Edelman, which was recently voted 2009 Consultancy of the Year (PR Week). Edelman is the world’s largest independent Public Relations firm, with 3,200 people in 51 offices worldwide and 260 people in London.

Robert is an award-winning Brand Marketer with two campaigns in PR Week’s Top 20 Campaigns of All Time. He is the co-author (2008)  of Citizen Renaissance -  which examines the three great seismic shifts of our time: the perfect storm surrounding Climate Change; the Wellbeing Imperative; and the rise of Digital Democracy – and the author of numerous articles and essays on the future shape of business and communications. He is a frequent speaker on – and advocate for - the evolution of Public Relations into a new model of Public Engagement.

Robert advises leading multi-national corporations and global brands on defining and identifying their strategies in the context of the rapidly evolving communications landscape. His particular passion is the confluence of corporate reputation and citizen brands, and the role of trust, responsibility and accountability within business and politics.

Robert’s  career spans 23 years, having co-founded leading Brands Consultancy, Jackie Cooper PR (JCPR)  in 1987 – and, together with his partner Jackie Cooper, sold the business to Edelman in May 2004. Robert became Edelman CEO in May 2007.

Robert is currently working with Think Tank Demos on an updated version of Citizen Renaissance and with ResPublica on new models of co-operative and mutual ownership. He sits on the London Council of the CBI and on its Climate Change Taskforce also. He is a founding supporter of the Portmeirion Symposium, www.namesnotnumbers.com.  

Robert’s Blog can be found at www.citizenrenaissance.com and he can be followed on www.twitter.com/citizenrobert.