Blue Rubicon, a UK-based strategic communications consultancy company specialized in reputation management, announced today the launch of its second international office, to be located in Dubai Media City. The news follows the announcement in September of Blue Rubicon’s first international office in Doha, Qatar.
The UAE office will be headed by Simon Buerk as managing director, who will lead an initial team of four. Buerk has worked in the Middle East since 2005. He joins Blue Rubicon from Edelman, where he was a regional director for the Middle East and Africa, based in Abu Dhabi. He has previously served as head of communications at FTSE 100 commodity trader and miner Glencore, Qatar Shell and at Shell’s Gas & Power division in the Middle East.“Simon brings huge experience of the reputational opportunities and challenges public and private sector organizations face in this dynamic country,” says Frase Hardie, Blue Rubicon senior partner.
In December 2012, Blue Rubicon signed a deal to sell a significant stake in the business to private equity fund Lloyds Development Capital, part of Lloyds Banking Group, as an outside investor. This fresh investment will be used primarily to accelerate Blue Rubicon’s internationalization, and to cement its strong digital capability, as well as continuing to recruit the best communications talent.
Launched in London in 1999, Blue Rubicon has served many global brands including Facebook, Unilever, GSK, Samsung, Mondalez and Coca-Cola as well as governments. Moreover, the company has worked from its London base for clients in the UAE since 2005, including Shell, Virgin Atlantic and the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office, and for clients in Qatar since 2007, including Qatargas and Shell.
