Karen Pugliese

United States

Karen Pugliese’s 16-year career at Weber Shandwick is a masterclass in architecting agency growth, defined by her strategic evolution from pioneering new business categories to her current role as Global President. Her leadership translates directly into undeniable commercial momentum and new business dominance.

This past year, Karen’s guidance was the driving force behind an exceptional average 75% new business win rate across regions, securing landmark accounts like Mars in the industry’s largest review. She drove the acquisition of more than a dozen seven-figure client engagements, fueling double-digit growth in the firm’s technology, financial, and public affairs sectors. This relentless focus on acquisition and expansion is how she has helped Weber Shandwick build and sustain a portfolio that includes 50% of the Fortune 100.

This success is engineered by deploying the firm's core intellectual property—Weber Advisory, Create, and I/O—as the engine for new business. By anchoring the agency’s offerings in differentiated value, she has created a powerful and repeatable model for winning. Karen Pugliese doesn’t just contribute to growth; she actively hunts, wins, and builds it, cementing her status as an industry-defining growth leader.