Contributor

Chris Komisarjevsky

Consultant and Author

Chris Komisarjevsky is a consultant, author, and accomplished public relations professional and counseling firm chief executive with worldwide leadership and client consulting experience. Over a forty year career in public relations, he has been responsible for counseling global corporate clients in a wide range of industries, including financial services, entertainment, communications, health care and management consulting. Chris has provided consulting services to leading global public and private companies, handling corporate crises, financial transactions, and reputation issues. In 2005, Chris retired from his responsibilities as the worldwide chief executive officer of Burson-Marsteller, one of the world’s leading global public relations and public affairs firms. He had served in that capacity for more than six years, while a member of the firm for ten years. He counseled leading corporations around the world. Immediately following his retirement, he was appointed a Chaired Professor in public relations at Boston University in the College of Communication, teaching graduate students in corporate and crisis communications. Prior to his worldwide leadership role at Burson-Marsteller, Chris was president and chief executive of the firm’s U.S. operations. Before joining Burson-Marsteller, he held leadership positions at two other worldwide public relations firms: Gavin Anderson & Company where he was president of its US operations and at Hill and Knowlton where, among other roles, he was president and chief executive of the firm’s Europe, Middle East and Africa operations serving in Geneva and London. In addition to being a widely published author and speaker on a variety of reputation, public relations, corporate communication and crisis topics, Chris has lectured on communications, business and crises at Switzerland’s leading International Institute for Management Development, Spain’s top-ranked business school IE (Instituto de Empresa) and a number of leading universities in the U.S., including Boston University and the University of Connecticut. Chris currently is a member of the Board of Directors/Independent Trustee of two mutual fund companies where he chairs the governance committees. He also is a board director of various non-profit organizations. He serves on the Dean’s advisory board at the world-leading Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami. He has served as a member of a Department of Defense Advisory Board. Chris is a 1996 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and a member of the David Rockefeller Fellow’s class of 1998. Chris holds a master’s degree in business from the University of Connecticut and is a member of its Business School Hall of Fame, has undertaken graduate work in German literature and international affairs in the U.S. and Europe, and has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Union College. He is a decorated combat veteran. As a commissioned officer and senior Army pilot, Chris was on active duty with the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1972 as a captain, helicopter pilot, instructor pilot, flight commander and plans officer, serving in Vietnam with the First Cavalry Division, 69-‘70. He went on to fly helicopters for the Connecticut Army National Guard from 1973 to 1979. He is a FAA licensed commercial helicopter pilot. Chris is the author of The Power of Reputation, his second book, released in hardcover in April 2012 and in two Chinese language editions in 2015 and 2016. Drawing on interviews with distinguished professionals, the book focuses on how a reputation built on authenticity, trust and values is critical to success. Chris and his wife, Reina, are authors of Peanut Butter and Jelly Management – Tales From Parenthood, Lessons For Managers. The book has been published seven times, including two hardbound and a second edition paperback U.S. version, plus French, Korean and Chinese translations and for distribution in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. He currently consults with global corporations and private institutions on reputation and crisis issues through his consulting firm: Komisarjevsky Partners – www.komisarjevskypartners.com. He also writes guest op-ed columns for The Huffington Post and other publications on a range of reputation issues. Chris and Reina live in Atlantic Beach, NY. Chris has dual citizenship: US and Swiss.