Women to Watch 2025: Jessie Gogan, Burson

Jessie Gogan

Deputy market leader, Australia & New Zealand; Consumer & brand lead
Burson
Australia

As deputy market leader for Burson Australia and New Zealand, Jessie Gogan is known for her sharp instinct for culturally resonant storytelling and has become a trusted advisor for brands navigating the complexities of multi-market communications in the region. Under her leadership, the consumer and brand division now contributes 44% of overall business revenue, with consistent year-on-year growth.

In 2024, she played a pivotal role in the successful merger of two legacy agencies—Burson and H&K in Australia—retaining 100% of consumer clients and all consumer team members, a testament to her inclusive leadership and strong relationships. She also delivered a 75% growth surge for a leading sports client, elevating it into Burson APAC’s top 30 accounts. 

Gogan’s dedication to growth begins internally with her team. During the merger transition, for instance, she introduced wellbeing check-ins, sharing sessions, flexible workflows, and safe spaces for open dialogue to maintain morale and reduce burnout risk. She regularly touches base with HR to shape programmes that promote resilience in high-pressure agency environments. On this note, staff turnover for the consumer and brand team in the past year was approximately 12%.  

When it comes to DEI, Gogan advocates for fair pay reviews, transparent promotions, and equal treatment for women in the workplace. She also supports neurodiverse colleagues by creating safe spaces for them to thrive. Recently, she was the mastermind behind Burson Australia’s first official charity partnership and its staff give-back programme.

Last year, Gogan led Burson’s presence at SXSW Sydney by curating and moderating a panel which examined how organisations balance reputation management with taking a stand on complex social issues.