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Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and communications firm, has been named �EMEA Public Affairs Consultancy of the Year� by the Holmes Report. Burson-Marsteller Africa, headquartered in South Africa, was also named a finalist in the �African Consultancy of the Year� Award for the fifth year in succession, having won the award in 2009 and boasted two partner agencies in Burson-Marsteller Africa walking away with the title in 2010 and 2011 respectively. The EMEA award highlights Burson-Marsteller�shighly successful integrated public affairs and public relations campaigns across the region in the past year. The agency was also praised for its industry-leading thought leadership initiatives, including Europe Decides (http://europedecides.eu/; @Europe Decides) and Twiplomacy (www.twiplomacy.com; @twiplomacy). Robyn de Villiers, Chairman and CEO of Burson-Marsteller Africa, said: �We are honoured to have been named as a finalist for the Africa award for the 5th year in succession, the only agency to have been recognised in this way and to have been recognised as EMEA Public Affairs Consultancy of the Year. This is the result of the amazing work done by our teams across Africa andthe EMEA region as well as the trust and confidence that our clients place in us. We have the best talent in our industry advising our clients on a wide range of issues, and driving campaigns that integrate our different practices across the region.� �A team of 60�representing 22 different nationalities�in Brussels makes Burson-Marsteller a perennial powerhouse in the European capital, but with public affairs professionals spread across 18 additional offices throughout the region, the firm is uniquely well-placed to handle multimarket assignments in EMEA �like helping the Socialists & Democrats party launch its new vision for Europe,� writes The Holmes Report. Burson-Marsteller�sEMEA Public Affairs Practice helps clients engage with the EU and national political systems, combining 18 leading national public affairs teams acrossEurope. The practice extends to all EU member states and candidate countries, the Middle East and Africa, and works in close cooperation with Burson-Marsteller�s offices in North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. The agency�s network includes former members of national and European parliaments, political spokespersons and senior civil servants, allowing for a precise understanding of the demands of public affairs in its specific EU, national and local contexts. Winners will be honoured at the 2014 EMEA SABRE Awards on May 20 in London.