Outstanding Women in Business: Catalina Rousseau, Senior Partner, President, and CEO of BDR Associates

Business Review recently held an insightful exchange with Catalina Rousseau, Senior Partner, President, and CEO of BDR Associates for Romania & the Republic of Moldova, and a strategic partner of Hill & Knowlton. This exclusive feature, set to be a centerpiece in Business Review Magazine’s March 2024 edition titled Outstanding Women in Business, captures Catalina’s transformative impact on the communications sector.

What are your main achievements within the company since you hold this position?

There are many achievements that we could speak of. Yet, the long-lasting ones count the most in doing business in the communication industry. We pioneered in our industry, at a time when the market was just evolving. BDR is one of the first PR agencies to incorporate in Romania, in the mid-1990s. The next step in the premiere was opening an office in the Republic of Moldova, in 2002, positioning BDR as lead agency, with significant business results so far. In the early 2000s, BDR introduced the concept of strategic communications, innovative for our market. We diversified our capabilities, offering public affairs services to clients. In 2005 the Superbrands global organization invited BDR Associates to represent them in Romania. A unique Superbrands era has thus started, opening the way for spotlighting the creative branding culture of companies and brands. Global advertising companies started presence in Romania.  I realized that to remain competitive the agency needed a global partner to foster the latest know-how, experience, and expertise. So, in 2003 we affiliated to the Hill & Knowlton/WPP global network, opening the gate for international new biz Other international agreements followed on the public affairs side, concluded with big international consultancies like FTI, or CEC Government Relations. We formed a team of senior consultants, capable of delivering to other markets from Europe or Asia, wherever we could win new business.

International recognition followed through getting important awards, diplomas of excellence, or as finalists in global, European, or national PR competitions, contributing to our agency’s reputation.

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In your opinion what makes a woman to be successful in business?

Talent, determination, business vision, creativity, strategic thinking, a lot of very hard work, and above all, reputation. However, even if a woman is a born leader, no one can succeed alone. The team behind is the key to success. I have often heard different business women say how important the support of the family is to achieve success. Such women are the lucky ones. Because in many cases, once reaches the winner’s stage, she can find herself alone, without the classic family around. It is therefore correct to recognize that success in business for a woman has long meant huge sacrifices, causing painful losses in her personal life. A successful business woman is more often a solitary traveler through a harsh, merciless world, in which she must fight with obstacles and prejudices, using her brain, but remaining a dreamer, full of femininity.

What is your major professional achievement in your entire career?

I think my almost 30 of successful entrepreneurship built on sustainable values, and ethical practices. I took the risk to go by myself, after a successful work experience with Deloitte Romania, and the Deloitte Emerging Markets in Washington DC, led by brilliant minds, who offered me exceptional knowledge but also the unique opportunity to meet and cooperate with titans of the US PR industry. They were my mentors in the strategic communication field.

My biggest achievement is BDR Associates itself, and its high reputation.

On top of many awards, diplomas, invitations to be a standing member of so many international juries in PR or business awards, the highest recognition that I have ever received is the one from by the Royal House of Romania: I am privileged to be the only business woman in my field, decorated by Her Majesty Margareta the Custodian of the Romanian Crown, for outstanding professional merits and contribution to the development of the strategic communications industry in Romania and in the Republic of Moldova.

My entrepreneurial journey has transformed a visionary dream into a mission, which I think that is now fully accomplished.