2025 wasn’t a year that allowed leaders to operate on autopilot. It demanded clarity, resilience and the ability to lead decisively through uncertainty. At the forefront of this evolving landscape stood Deepshikha Dharmaraj, Chief Executive Officer, Burson Group India, guiding the firm as it helped brands navigate geopolitical shifts, business challenges and the rapid transformation of AI from buzzword to mission-critical capability. Under her leadership, Burson Group India didn’t just respond to change; it shaped it, steering landmark initiatives such as India’s ambitious Amdavad bid for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games and one of the country’s biggest IPO communications mandates of the year.
In this REWIND 2025 conversation, Deepshikha Dharmaraj reflects on a year of reinvention for both Burson and the communications industry at large, the expanded strategic role of PR, the responsibility of purpose-driven reputation building, and how AI-powered intelligence is redefining engagement, trust and impact in a complex world.
How would you describe the year 2025 for your organisation, and were there any standout moments that defined it?
I would describe 2025 as truly transformative. We launched new services, forged new client partnerships and delivered meaningful thought leadership – all with a clear and singular objective: to help our clients navigate an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape and a challenging business environment.
Among the notable achievements, two stand out as moments of pride for me. The first was winning the prestigious Amdavad, India bid for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a clear recognition of the world-class work consistently delivered by our sports team. The second was managing one of the biggest IPOs in India this year, reflecting our continued focus on building and strengthening our investor and IPO communications capability.
2025 was also the year AI moved from conversation into a core capability. Burson has been at the forefront of this shift from the outset. For us, AI is not simply a tool, it is embedded into how we work. This has required sustained investment in upskilling our people and developing industry-leading proprietary capabilities. A key example was the launch of Reputation Capital, a first-of-its-kind solution that uses AI to directly link reputation to measurable business outcomes, like sales and stock price, addressing a long-standing industry gap. We also significantly expanded the use of Burson Decipher, leveraging its AI-powered predictive capabilities to anticipate audience reaction to ideas, news stories, influencers and marketing assets, allowing us to shape narratives with precision and maximum resonance.
Finally, amid a year marked by uncertainty and disruption across industries, we stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our clients. Through our reputation management, public affairs and crisis communications work, we helped clients stay ahead of emerging risks and opportunities and respond to immediate challenges.
When you look at the broader PR and communications industry, what defines this year for the industry?
Industry-wide there was a shift from debating whether to use AI to figuring out how to use it effectively and ethically. At the same time, the industry realized that while AI brings incredible speed, human judgement, empathy, deep relationships and understanding cultures remain vital – qualities AI lacks. There was also a stronger demand for companies to show tangible purpose and impact, not just intent. What became clear was that this evolving landscape requires collective and continuous innovation and adaptability.
Which new big clients did you onboard this year, and what made those wins special?
As I mentioned before, being chosen for the Amdavad, India bid for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games and managing one of the most successful IPOs in India were two of our marquee wins for the year.
We also established a strategic partnership with Mirae Asset Sharekhan, a leading Indian brokerage and financial services firm. For them, we are building stronger brand awareness, articulating their vision and cementing their reputation as a credible provider of comprehensive financial services in India. Other notable wins include HPE India, Honda, KFC, The Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts, Indofast Energy, Garware Technical Fibers and Veolia.
Earned across some of our most diverse and complex briefs, these wins demonstrate our expertise and strategic rigour across a variety of services areas and industry sectors. It is deeply gratifying to have some of the world’s top companies rely on us to guide them through intricate market narratives and strengthen stakeholder confidence.
How has the role of PR evolved, has it shifted from just managing images to creating deeper, more authentic engagement?
The role of PR has changed dramatically. It is more intrinsically woven into the strategy-building process today and that’s largely thanks to the central role of reputation. The number of touchpoints for organisations has multiplied and to ensure that the business speaks in a cohesive, authentic and engaging voice across all of them, PR plays a critical role. This is because it’s the only discipline that can take on a multi-stakeholder approach. Whether it is the customer, key opinion leaders, employees, investors, the government or anyone really, PR connects with them all.
This, however, also means that reputation needs to be nurtured and protected on various fronts. This demands constant sentiment gauging, proactive foresight and strategic risk anticipation. Here, AI tools become the linchpin, helping us analyse vast amounts of data for near real-time sentiment, predict potential issues and anticipate strategic shifts. Earning relevance and maintaining integrity is a continuous process for brands, making PR’s role absolutely central in the journey.
