Brett Bruen

President & CEO

Brett Bruen uses strategic communications strategies to redirect the course of crisis and change.

The world's leading companies and organizations seek out Bruen for their most Complex Communications® challenges. As President of the Global Situation Room, his work focuses on helping Fortune 100 companies, the world's largest philanthropies, and most high-profile organizations survive and thrive amidst the regularity of today’s risks. His cutting-edge Counter-Crisis strategies, pursuing a more proactive approach to emerging threats has revolutionized the paradigm of the possible amidst the regularity of today's risks.

He led the development of "Business Ready," the highly successful new brand for the World Bank's flagship annual report.  Mastercard became one of the world's most respected companies, thanks to the thought leadership strategies GSR implemented around the world over five years.  During the pandemic, Bruen helped America's physician assistants attain extraordinary coverage for their role in responding to COVID-19.  The "One Decision" podcast produced by Situation Room Studios with former American and British spy chiefs has become the most popular global affairs show on the planet.

Top media outlets frequently turn to Bruen for analysis of global crises and major events.  He often headlines global gatherings including Bloomberg conferences from New York to Shanghai. His work is regularly cited by influential individuals and institutions, whether a book by veteran journalist Bob Woodward or briefings before the U.S. Supreme Court.  He was named by Washingtonian Magazine as one of the nation's "most influential" voices on public affairs.

The world's top universities rely on Bruen’s expertise.  He teaches crisis communications at Georgetown University and serves on boards at Georgetown, Harvard and University College Dublin. As Director of Global Engagement at the White House, he built a number of President Obama’s legacy international initiatives. His time in the American diplomatic service was largely spent on the frontlines of crises in the Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Venezuela, Guinea, Liberia, Eritrea and Iraq.  He holds a Masters degree in Global History from the London School of Economics and speaks fluent Spanish, French.