New hires strengthen the firm’s capital markets and strategic advisory services
NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 – Burson Buchanan, the strategic communications and financial markets advisory firm, today announced the appointment of two managing directors to its U.S. business: Claire Doan in San Francisco and Jake Yanulis in New York. Their appointments are effective March 3, 2025.
“Claire and Jake have significant experience advising clients through the most consequential, ‘bet the company’ opportunities and threats that businesses face,” said Matt Reid, U.S. CEO, Burson Buchanan. “Their expertise across M&A, litigation, government investigations, private equity and shareholder activism strengthen our strategic advisory capabilities. I have seen firsthand the expertise and dedication they bring to client assignments, and I’m delighted to continue that partnership as we grow Burson Buchanan in the U.S.”
Doan joins Burson Buchanan from H/Advisors Abernathy, where she was Managing Director and Head of Litigation, advising on myriad high-profile matters and crises for clients across a variety of industries, including technology, higher education and healthcare. Before that, she oversaw strategic communications and media relations for the University of California across its campuses and medical centers, spearheading communications strategy on sensitive matters such as litigation, cybersecurity, COVID-19 policies, labor disputes, student protests and the Varsity Blues admissions controversy. Doan is an Emmy- and Edward R. Murrow Award winner, having spent the early part of her career as an investigative journalist at stations in Sacramento, California, and Tucson, Arizona.
Yanulis comes to Burson Buchanan from H/Advisors Abernathy, where he served as a Managing Director, advising boards and management teams on effective communication and stakeholder engagement through periods of business transformation, including corporate transactions, shareholder activism defense and major crises. During a nearly decade-long tenure with his prior firm, he partnered with leading consumer companies, healthcare organizations and technology, media and telecommunications businesses to articulate shifts in strategy, execute industry-defining M&A transactions and protect and enhance corporate reputation amid unexpected external challenges.
About Burson Buchanan Burson Buchanan provides strategic communications advisory services to help clients achieve their business and reputation goals. The firm specializes in advising companies on reaching critical financial and stakeholder audiences and to navigate major inflection points in their business. The firm’s key areas of expertise include financial communications, mergers & acquisitions, fund raisings and IPOs, spinoffs and demergers, activist defense, crisis and issues management, litigation communications, and regulatory issues/government investigations. Burson Buchanan is a member of Burson Group. Burson is part of WPP (LSE/NYSE: WPP), the creative transformation company.