NEW YORK —  Burson has hired former Intel CCO Laura Anderson to lead the firm’s technology practice in the Americas.

Anderson will serve as Americas chair of technology at Burson, which will launch July 1 with the merger of WPP agencies BCW and Hill & Knowlton, creating a $1bn PR firm. She will work with BCW starting April 22 until Burson’s official launch.

Anderson brings more than 25 years of in-house and consulting experience to the role. She spent nearly 19 years at Intel, where she spent two years leading communications as VP and GM of global comms.

She subsequently served as head of communications for Silver Lake, a tech-focused private equity firm, and acting head of communications for Google’s DeepMind and ran her own consultancy.

“Laura has extraordinary experience and deep first-hand knowledge of the business challenges, policy issues and long-term ambitions of a wide range of technology companies, particularly for those that are driving the most consequential innovation in a generation,” said BCW Americas CEO Kristine Boyden, who will hold the same role with Burson after the merger. “Her expertise in guiding tech brands to overcome issues, realize radical goals and build reputational currency will be enormously valuable for our technology clients throughout the region and our global network.”