LONDON, January 7, 2026 – Today, Edelman announces the appointment of Jo Burford as Head of Creator Marketing for EMEA, reporting into Tyler Vaught, Global Head of Creator. In this newly created role, Burford will lead the expansion of Edelman’s North American Creator offering into EMEA in partnership with Arent Jan Hesselink, President & CEO Edelman EMEA, building a dedicated regional team of specialists to support clients in key growth markets, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, with MENA in scope for future growth.
Her appointment is fueled by soaring client demand for Edelman’s global Creator capabilities, one of the firm’s fastest-growing offerings. As the news and marketing landscape increasingly becomes Creator-led more brands are moving beyond traditional reach-based influencer marketing toward earned-first storytelling with trusted Creators that drive meaningful connections with communities.
“Jo’s arrival marks an exciting next chapter for Edelman’s Creator ambitions, as we look to double our business over the next year,” said Tyler Vaught, Global Head of Creator Marketing, Edelman. “She brings an incredible mix of experience across platforms, agencies, and as a Creator herself, she understands this industry from every angle. More importantly, she gets what we're building here - we are not chasing reach and impressions, we’re scaling brand trust through the right Creator partnerships.”
“With Jo now in place to shape our EMEA Creator practice, we’re poised to accelerate growth and raise the bar for the region and our clients,” said Arent Jan Hesselink, President & CEO Edelman EMEA. “She knows how to build teams, nurture talent, and create work that truly connects brands and communities. She also brings a finely tuned understanding of what creators mean to culture across Europe and how brands need to show up to earn trust."
With more than 15 years of experience in the Creator and branded content spaces, Burford brings a legacy understanding of the evolving Creator economy and how brands, platforms, and Creators intersect to drive cultural and commercial impact. She joins from TikTok, having previously served as the platform’s Head of Creators for the UK, Ireland, and Nordics. Prior to TikTok, she was Global Head of Marketing at Whalar and Head of Creator Partnerships for EMEA at Twitter. This multi-stakeholder experience has given her unique insight into developing creator strategies that deliver both performance and trust for leading global brands.
“I’m thrilled to join Edelman at such an exciting inflection point for the Creator industry,” said Jo Burford. “There’s so much momentum in EMEA, and we have a real opportunity to build something transformative, a practice that puts trusted Creators at the center of brand storytelling. I’m looking forward to working with our clients and our teams across the region to bring that vision to life.”
As part of Burford's remit, she will oversee Edelman's EMEA Creator team of 30 specialists, with Germany and the UK serving as key hubs, and lead the Creator offering for clients including Unilever, PayPal, and Microsoft. Based out of Edelman’s London office, she will work alongside Freya Lifely, who has been appointed Head of Creators for the UK, reporting into Burford. Lifely, a three-year Edelman veteran and proven leader within the UK Creator business, will play a key role in delivering the firm's continued investment in regional expertise and client service.
After its growth in 2025, Edelman's Creator business is expected to double over the next year as it continues to expand its capabilities across talent partnerships, social storytelling, and Creator-led brand activations, having recently supported award-winning campaigns including Dove’s Share the First, eBay Endless Runway, Microsoft’s Original build, and Progresso’s Soup Drops.
Burford started in her role earlier this week, on January 5.
