Laura A Burke is a dynamic brand and communications leader with more than twenty years of experience working with leading financial services and technology companies to shape their reputation, differentiate their brand, and support their business outcomes. As Chief Communications Officer, Burke is responsible for external, social, crisis, executive communications, thought leadership, measurement and events for Santander US which spans the Auto, Banking, Real Estate, and Wealth Management businesses.
Previously, Burke was Head of Corporate Brand and Communications at Prudential Financial (NYSE: PRU) where she was responsible for branded research and partnerships in addition to all aspects of corporate communications, including financial communications, executive visibility, policy communications and crisis/issues response. She served as the communications strategist for Prudential’s Vice Chair and her team supported all corporate function leaders. As Chief Operating Officer for the Global Communications function, Burke contributed to helping transform the department in the areas of budgeting, work prioritization and internal talent mobility.
Prior to Prudential, Burke was an executive vice president at Edelman where she led the global Charles Schwab relationship, embedded at Schwab headquarters with a team of sixty professionals across ten offices and three regions. The Schwab work spanned CEO communications, CSR and foundation support, product launches and international, national, and local traditional and social media relations. As senior vice president, she led the strategy, execution, and measurement of communications campaigns for Allianz, Citi and GE Capital, among others.
Burke spent eight years at FTI Consulting, rising to the position of managing director. Over her tenure, she partnered with leading Technology and Financial Services companies manage their reputation through the dot.com boom/bust and the financial crisis. She also worked at Hill & Knowlton, running the U.S. Media team for HP following the $25 billion dollar merger with Compaq, and began her career at Sawyer Miller Consulting.
Burke holds a certificate from MIT Sloan School in artificial intelligence, an MBA in finance and global business from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a B.A. in political science from Tufts University. As a former competitive figure skater, she still enjoys winter sports such as skiing and snow shoeing.