Russell Dubner becomes BCG's inaugural chief communications officer
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has hired Russell Dubner, an experienced public relations executive, as a senior partner and the firm’s first global communications officer.
Based in New York, Dubner will oversee the consulting firm’s global communications team and its positioning and reputation. He will also collaborate with BCG think tank Henderson Institute to advise clients at the intersection of trust, leadership, and stakeholder strategy.
Dubner previously spent 28 years at PR giant Edelman, where he most recently served as global vice chairman, leading corporate development, M&A, venture investments, and alliances. He also served as chair of research branch Edelman Trust Institute, which publishes trust-related insights that inform leadership, strategy, and policy.
The concept of “trust” has become a corporate touchpoint in the pandemic era as trends surrounding ESG have gathered steam. Winning over customers and recruiting employees increasingly hinges on corporate reputation and social responsibility. In the public arena, declining trust in institutions and the rise of “alternate truth” has placed a further spotlight on the concept.
This has resulted in companies attempting to position themselves as the corporate personification of trust. This is most readily witnessed in PwC’s marketing makeover as the “Trust” consultancy. Beyond a focus on the word itself, many consulting firms have been working hard to present their firms as leaders in environmental and social responsibility.
“As BCG reaches new heights, our commitment to leading with integrity, with courage, and with purpose remains unwavering. Russell’s experience and expertise, both with trust and leadership and in running world-class communications, will continue to strengthen our role amongst leaders around the world,” said Christoph Schweizer, BCG’s global CEO.
BCG has more than 22,000 employees globally and works with leading private and public sector clients on strategy, operations, and digital projects.
The firm says it is “rapidly” expanding its expertise in climate and sustainability, responsible AI, and risk to help clients meet evolving challenges.
“The disruption, accelerated time-frame, and global upheaval of the last two years has only underscored how critical navigating issues around trust is for leaders everywhere. Building on BCG’s work, I look forward to bringing a new lens to the next lines of inquiry and trust-driven transformation for our clients,” said Dubner. “As business leaders face a defining next chapter for capitalism, BCG is ready to meet the moment and embrace its leadership mantle.”
