Ben Trounson

I help Fortune 500 organizations build unshakeable stakeholder trust through strategic communications that turn complexity into clarity. As a VP of Global Corporate Communications with 20+ years of experience, I specialize in guiding companies through the reputation opportunities and challenges that come with transformation, crisis, and growth.

My career spans leadership roles at technology, energy, and pharmaceutical giants including Tata Consultancy Services, National Grid, Verizon, and Bristol Myers Squibb. At TCS, I helped transform the company's reputation from a lesser-known IT services provider into a globally recognized digital transformation partner for Fortune 500 clients, contributing to brand value growth from $5B to $14B over my seven-year tenure. This transformation required rebuilding narratives, executive
positioning, and stakeholder relationships across multiple markets.

I've built and led global communications teams ranging from 20 to 50+ members across North America, EMEA, APAC, and LATAM regions. My approach focuses on three core elements: authentic narrative development that aligns with business strategy, internal capability building that empowers teams to execute consistently, and external relationship management that builds lasting credibility with key stakeholders including media, investors, regulators, and employees.

Whether navigating CEO transitions, major acquisitions, regulatory scrutiny, or market repositioning, I ensure corporate communications delivers measurable impact on reputation and business outcomes.

Vice President of Communications, Verizon Business

Over a month into my new role at Arizona Public Service - APS, and I'm embracing life as an Arizonan.

A few early impressions:
- A welcoming and thriving culture across the company.
- The CX & Communications team: incredible passion for serving customers across AZ .
- Climbing Piestewa Peak; what a view of Phoenix and the valley!
- Seeing firsthand the growth in AZ and the key enabling role of APS.

And I clearly need to work on my local look! Perhaps slowly work my way in with some cowboy boots. 😀

VP, Global Corporate Communications | Reputation & Stakeholder Trust Builder | 20+ Years Transforming Fortune 500 Narratives | Former Verizon, National Grid, TCS | $5B-$14B Brand Value Growth

I transform complex business challenges into communications strategies that move organizations forward.

I've partnered with C-suite executives at companies ranging from Fortune 10 enterprises to high-growth tech firms — navigating their most critical moments: mergers and acquisitions, organizational restructurings, cultural transformations, product launches and crisis response. I translate executive strategy into narratives that employees actually engage with, build stakeholder trust when it matters most and deliver measurable business results.

I've led communications teams reaching audiences of 65,000+ dispersed employees, counseled CEOs and CHROs through sensitive transitions and developed strategies that consistently move the needle, including driving double-digit improvements in engagement metrics, email performance and organizational alignment.

What I bring to senior leadership:

🤝 Strategic Business Partnership — I sit at the table with executives as a trusted advisor, not just an executor. Whether it's evaluating impact of an organizational change, advising on messaging company priorities or building playbooks for crisis response, I connect communications strategy directly to business objectives.

📈 Proven Impact at Enterprise Scale — I've led global communications reaching tens of thousands of employees across multiple time zones and languages. Some of the measurable results I've delivered: 10% email open rate improvements, 10% intranet usage jumps, 160% YoY growth in Glassdoor ratings, and 21-point YoY favorability increases in employee engagement.

🔥 Crisis & Change Leadership — I've successfully navigated high-stakes communications through M&A (both acquiring and being acquired), staff restructurings, pandemic response and cultural change initiatives. I remain calm under pressure and translate complexity into clarity.

💪 Team Development & Leadership — I've built and mentored high-performing communications teams. Multiple team members were promoted under my leadership, reflecting my commitment to developing talent while delivering results.

What keeps me energized:
✅ Breaking the "we've always done it this way" cycle
✅ Distilling jargon and tech-speak into plain English that resonates
✅ Creating content and experiences people actually want to engage with
✅ Oh, and... spinning tunes as my alter ego DJ Kosmik K 🎧

Whether I'm partnering with executives on high-stakes messaging or providing the best playlist, I'm driven by the same goal: creating connections that last and drive action.

Keith Berman

Communicators, the pendulum is swinging back in our direction again. 

Big media outlets are posting articles about how storytelling is the New Hotness in business, with high-salary roles to match. LinkedIn just named executive and stakeholder communications one of its Skills on the Rise 2026, calling it one of the areas professionals should invest in to get ahead.

We've been here before. During the pandemic, Communications was in high demand and seen as crucial. But as COVID subsided, the glow faded, and Comms people fell victim to budget cuts and reorgs.

So, here's my advice: Take advantage of this time while we can. Show our value to the business. Use our exposure and agency to learn about business and prove how we're strategic advisors, not just keyboard masters and walking thesauruses. (Thesaurusi?) 

Back in 2023, Edelman found that Chief Communications Officers spend about 20% of their time advising CEOs on non-communications decisions. If we assume a 5-day work week (yeah right), that's a full day spent being the CEO's trusted strategist, not just a "make this pretty" person. 

Lay the groundwork now to make yourself indispensable so when the pendulum swings away from Comms, you're not seen as a cost easy to cut, but an essential person who brings high-value thought and clarity to the business.

Senior Communications Leader | Translating Executive Strategy into Stories that Move Organizations | Storyteller • Strategist • DJ 🎧 | Corporate, Internal & Executive Communications Director

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