WASHINGTON, DC—Burson-Marsteller has appointed Esther Lee as chief marketing and new business officer, overseeing the firm’s global marketing and new business efforts. She will also join the firm’s business operations team, reporting to worldwide CEO Mark Penn and working closely with senior management to lead and coordinate new business development globally.

Lee most recently served in the Obama administration as senior policy adviser to the Secretary of Commerce and as director of the office of innovation and entrepreneurship at the US Department of Commerce, advising Secretary Gary Locke on innovation, technology, green economy, economic development and small business issues.

Prior to joining the Commerce Department, she founded a digital media company, focused on location-based content and services. Previously, she served as chief marketing and administration officer, specialty finance at CIT Group. She also held senior roles at Time Warner and Siemens, where she led strategic sales and marketing initiatives focused on cross-selling to the companies’ largest customers.

Lee began her career as a business journalist at CNN.