Simon Redfern

Inspirer
DISC Type : id

Chief Executive Officer, UK at Burson

London, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Simon is the UK CEO for Burson, leveraging 25 years of experience in communications and corporate affairs. He has held senior roles at major tech and regulatory brands including Google, Salesforce, and Ofcom. He holds degrees from The University of Sheffield and Birkbeck, University of London. Colleagues describe him as inspiring, creative, and driven.

Fueled by an early passion for politics, Simon is highly engaged with the intersection of technology, global economics, and public policy. He closely follows innovations in areas like autonomous transport and participates in high-level discussions on their societal and regulatory implications, such as those at the World Economic Forum.

His first job was selling saucepans and microwaves in a department store, an experience he says taught him a lot about being a consultant.

Personality Overview

Confident & Optimistic

Generous

Fast Adopter

They don’t mind taking a stand if they believe in something.  They measure a product on its merit but can be influenced by strong testimonials. They usually prefer to drive the conversation.

Topics They Care About

Reputation Economy
Recently discussed Burson's "Reputation Economy" report at the World Economic Forum, focusing on reputation as a key asset for businesses in the modern era.
Public Affairs
A long-standing focus, having been Director of Public Affairs for Google in Europe and winning "Public Affairs Consultant of the Year" earlier in his career.
Purpose-Driven Brands
He is passionate about working with purpose-led organizations, helping them build trust and demonstrate the value of their communications to achieve strategic goals.

Media Appearances

Burson names Simon Redfern UK CEO. Featured in PR Week

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Simon Redfern - Burson. Featured in Burson Global

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Work History

4-2025
Chief Executive Officer, UK at Burson
1-2021 - 4-2025
Director of Communications at Ofcom
7-2019 - 1-2021
Director of Public Affairs, Europe at Google
5-2018 - 7-2019
Vice President Communications EMEA at Salesforce
1-2016 - 5-2018
Vice President Corporate Affairs, EMEA at Starbucks

Education

1992 - 1995
BA (Hons) from The University of Sheffield
1997 - 1999
MSc from Birkbeck, University of London

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 27 Location : London, England, United Kingdom Job Level : Leadership Designation : Chief Executive Officer, UK at Burson
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Insights For Selling To Simon

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Keep your pitch focused on the impact but insert some anecdotes into it
  • Get them to a point where they are ready to bat for your product internally
  • Acknowledge their status and position during the conversation

DONT's

  • Avoid focusing only on the product or its ROI, keep building trust subtly
  • Don’t be too verbose or overly friendly; a little bit, however, is fine
  • Don't be unorganized, be prepared for the pitch

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Simon is

  • Product value plays a big role, followed by relationship and a sense of achievement.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Simon

  • If they do not firmly believe in you, they will refuse without hesitation.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Simon move?

  • They can take fast decisions if they develop conviction in the product and find you trustworthy.
  • Can Simon take some risk or not?

  • They have the capability of taking risky decisions if necessary.

You And Simon

Personality Compatibility


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