Burson UK Promotes Paola Nicolaides to Head of Brand

Agency also sharpens focus across UK consumer practice
with two specialist pillars and additional leadership appointments

London, October 26, 2026 - Burson, the global communications leader purpose-built to create value for clients through reputation, today announced Paola Nicolaides' promotion to UK Head of Brand, as part of a strategic restructuring of its UK consumer leadership team. The restructuring is designed to sharpen the practice's specialist focus, accelerating its creative ambition and support the continued delivery of insight-led campaigns for its fast-growing client roster.

Under the new structure, Nicolaides, previously Managing Director, Consumer & Brand, will lead the newly consolidated Brand pillar, bringing Burson UK's consumer work together and overseeing a portfolio of clients across FMCG, luxury, food & drink, and retail, including TK Maxx, Warburtons and Pernod Ricard.

Magin Trewhella, Head of Consumer at Burson UK, introduced the two-pillar structure comprising Brand and Sport & Entertainment to strengthen the practice's creative, insight and intelligence capabilities.

"It's an extraordinarily exciting moment to take on the role of Head of Brand," said Nicolaides. "I believe we have the best talent, and our shared purpose brings us together to deliver outstanding work at scale, with agility and depth - that's our secret sauce. "

To strengthen the practice's creative and analytical capabilities across both pillars:

• Lex di Benedetto, the practice's embedded Creative Director, will drive creative excellence across both pillars, focusing on campaign craft, creative strategy, and cultural resonance.

• Jamie Brookes, a senior leader in Intelligence & Insights, will join the practice permanently and lead a dedicated team of six data and insights specialists. Brookes' team will further integrate measurement, predictive analytics, cultural mapping, and audience intelligence into the creative and strategic development process.

Freddy Davies, Head of Sports & Entertainment, will continue in his existing role under the new structure, overseeing a portfolio of culture-first clients, including adidas, Spotify, Activision Blizzard, TNT Sports and Bose.

"By establishing two clear specialist pillars - Brand, and Sports & Entertainment - we're enhancing our consumer practice to better deliver the best possible work for our clients," said Trewhella. "Our aim is to drive relentless creative ambition across everything we do while grounding every campaign in robust insight and intelligence. This new structure gives us the capabilities we need to deliver smart, progressive, career-defining work that builds our clients' reputations and creates lasting value."