Adrian Warr on AI, activism and Asia’s communications future

In this episode of the Earned First Podcast, Arun Sudhaman speaks with Adrian Warr, CEO of Burson South Asia-Pacific, as he approaches the end of his first year in the role. Warr offers a candid assessment of the communications industry's current inflection point, arguing that scale, AI investment, and specialist depth continue to give holding groups a strategic edge over smaller, independent firms—even as the market becomes more fragmented and client expectations shift.

The discussion also explores the practical implications of AI in public relations, including Burson’s own proprietary platforms, which use machine learning to quantify the link between reputation and business outcomes. And the duo also examine the state of play in Asia, where Warr advocates for a regional-first approach to brand activism, especially on topics like DEI and sustainability.