Tala Booker

Co-Founder and Managing Director, Via Group; Center for Public Relations Board Member

Tala Booker is a bold and astute communications and corporate affairs executive who brings vision and disciplined execution to complex and ambitious brand challenges. Her courage, energy, and integrity win the trust of stakeholders and inspire teams to consistently outperform. Booker has successfully supported global CEOs and Boards in navigating complex geopolitical situations and on sustainability and ESG issues, litigation, and investor activism.

Before founding Via Group in 2023, Booker was managing director and global head of communications for commercial banking at HSBC Holdings Plc, a US$7bn operation spanning 53 markets. During her more than 12 years at HSBC, Booker led the integrated brand, marketing, and communications launch of HSBC Innovation Banking, propelling HSBC into the tech ecosystem, corporate reputation-building projects within mainland China and wider Asia Pacific, and designed several marquee global campaigns. She has led communications and corporate affairs functions in major financial centers including New York, Hong Kong, Sydney, and London.

Beyond her focus on reputation management and brand building in Asia-Pacific, Booker is also a passionate people leader. She was the executive sponsor for Balance, HSBC’s largest employee resource group focused on driving gender equality across the firm globally.

Booker is a proud graduate of USC Annenberg where she majored in communications, with a minor in news, media, and society.

A mother of two, outside of work and family, Booker is a keen tennis player. She loves traveling, cooking, and public speaking and listens to far too many podcasts. A first-generation Persian American, Booker is advocating for the brave women and men supporting the #womanlifefreedom movement in Iran.