Dave Samson

Dave Samson is Global Vice Chair, Corporate Affairs for Edelman.  In his role, Dave serves as a client counselor to Edelman’s corporate and crisis clients as well as to some of the firm’s largest accounts. Dave joined Edelman from Chevron Corporation where he was the long-time head of Public Affairs and led Chevron’s global communications strategies and activities, including corporate marketing and branding.  Previously, Dave was head of worldwide communications for Levi Strauss & Co.  He has also led international communications at both IBM and Oracle and was a partner and managing director at Ketchum Public Relations. Over the course of his career, Dave has managed communications on a wide range of complex and highly-sensitive issues, including activist campaigns, major litigation, product recalls, operating incidents, natural disasters, mergers and acquisitions, and a range of policy matters.  He has built communications teams who have set industry benchmarks in the design and execution of integrated communications programs and campaigns.  And, in recent years, he pioneered the use of data analytics and predictive modeling to advance the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement and issues management. Dave is the past chairman of the Page Society, the world’s leading professional association for senior public relations and corporate communications executives. He is also past chairman of the Communications Committee for the American Petroleum Institute.  In 2018, Dave was inducted into the Page and PRWeek Hall of Fames, two of the highest honors given in the communications field.  Dave holds a B.A.in Journalism from Colorado State University and an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix.