USC names Glenn Osaki as new chief communications officer and senior vice president


Glenn Osaki, an alumnus of the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, was named senior vice president and chief communications officer Wednesday. (Photo from Glenn Osaki/Twitter)

Public relations veteran and USC alumnus Glenn Osaki will be the University’s new senior vice president and chief communications officer, Interim President Wanda Austin and President-elect Carol Folt announced in a letter to the USC community Wednesday. Osaki will be the University’s first-ever chief communications officer.

Osaki, who will enter the position June 1, spent the last 32 years working with MSL, an international public relations firm. He most recently served as the company’s Asia-Pacific president.

“In addition to serving as the University’s principal spokesperson,” the letter read, “he will develop a strategic communications plan that will position USC both nationally and internationally, while finding fresh ways to convey USC’s unique educational experience.”

Austin and Folt wrote in their letter that Osaki will report directly to the University president. Osaki will be work on shaping a new communications strategy for USC and overseeing the Cultural Relations and University Events office and internal communications activities.

Osaki earned his master’s degree in public relations from USC in 1987. According to his LinkedIn page, he has overseen large-scale crisis management programs and worked with high-profile companies such as Netflix and Walmart in his role at MSL.

“I am thrilled to apply my international brand-building and reputation management experience from outside of academia to provide an innovative perspective on digital storytelling and data-driven influence to shape USC’s communications,” Osaki told USC News.

According to the letter, Osaki has won numerous awards throughout his career, including “PR Agency Head of the Year” by Campaign Asia in 2013.

“He has built a career on high ethical standards, perceptive outreach, and innovative team-building,” Austin and Folt wrote, “and he will be an outstanding addition to our senior leadership team.”

Austin announced March 8 that Brenda Maceo, USC’s vice president for public relations and marketing, will be stepping down from her position at the end of this fiscal year. The University has yet to announce a replacement for Maceo’s position, and it did not answer requests for comment about whether Osaki’s role will replace that of Maceo.