Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and public affairs company, today announced an exclusive affiliate partnership with Solski PR and the creation of Solski Burson-Marsteller. This marks the return of the Burson-Marsteller brand to Poland after seven years.

“Re-entering Poland is an important strategic move for Burson-Marsteller. The partnership with Ryszard Solski is intended to be a long-term relationship and Solski Burson-Marsteller will be our exclusive representative for public relations activities in Poland,” commented Jeremy Galbraith, CEO Burson-Marsteller Europe, Middle East & Africa. “We are committed to growing in the strategic markets of Central and Eastern Europe and obviously Poland is a key market in this region.”

“We carried out an extensive review of the Polish market and met a number of potential partners. During this process Ryszard Solski indicated to us that he was going to establish his own agency and this presented us with a unique opportunity to help shape and support a new PR agency in Poland and importantly gave us the ability to gradually acquire the company over a period of years. In the agreement we finalised and signed yesterday we have an option to take a 30% stake in Solski Burson-Marsteller after 12 months,” Jeremy Galbraith continued.

“I carried out the review of potential partners in Poland and the market has clearly matured quickly and significantly,” said Roman Geiser, Managing Director Affiliate Relations and Acquisitions EMEA of Burson-Marsteller. “We met many very professional agencies but it turned out that the timing was right for both Burson-Marsteller and Solski PR. Ryszard Solski is one of Poland’s most respected PR professionals, with great international experience, who has done very impressive client work in the past.”

“I am very pleased to be able to announce the partnership between Solski PR and Burson-Marsteller,” said Ryszard Solski, founder and owner of Solski PR. “I was disappointed when Burson-Marsteller left Poland, but am even more delighted that I will be responsible for their brand in the market now they have taken the decision to come back. We will be able to offer our clients the best in strategic, integrated communications counsel and effective implementation, based on Burson-Marsteller’s knowledge, ideas, insights, research and innovation, and my communications experience in Poland.”

Burson-Marsteller will continue to work with CEC Government Relations for Public Affairs support in Poland. Solski Burson-Marsteller and CEC Government Relations will work closely together.

In October 2007 Burson-Marsteller announced an exclusive affiliate partnership with Austrian Hochegger group, covering nine Central and East European countries. They include Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.