Bob Leaf

Robert Stephen Leaf ( August 9, 1931 – June 10, 2021) was an American public relations executive. He is best known for creating the international network of offices which made Burson-Marsteller the world's largest public relations firm in the 1980s, where he eventually rose to be international chairman. Debrett's have recognised him as one of Britain's 500 most influential people.

Early life

Leaf was born in New York City on August 9, 1931. He attended Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan.

Education

After high school Leaf enrolled in the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri, the world's first school of journalism. Initially he was interested in pursuing a career in sports journalism, but after attending classes in advertising and public relations he decided that was where his future lay.

Army

After graduation, Leaf served in the United States Army for two years.

Harold Burson had also been stationed overseas in the army and felt that it offered great opportunities for the firm to represent American clients there. He appointed Leaf head of international operations and, in 1965, he was sent to Brussels on a one-year assignment. Three years later he was transferred to London, where he still resided. He launched the first international PR firm in the Middle East and started Burson-Marsteller offices throughout Europe, Asia, South America and Australia.

In 1997, after 40 years with Burson-Marsteller, he stood down as their International chairman and established his own firm, Robert S. Leaf Consultants,

Books

In 2012, Leaf published his memoirs, The Art of Perception.

Since the publication of the book, Leaf has been spending his time talking at conferences and lecturing at leading business and journalism schools in the UK and the US.

Personal life

While still working at B-M's New York office Leaf received a phone call from Adele Ornstein, who had been a fellow student at Joan of Arc Junior High School in New York whom he had not seen in 12 years but hadn't forgotten, so they started dating. They were married in June 1958, their son, Stuart, was born in 1961 and they have two grandchildren.