Christopher Fuller Named Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at UVA Darden

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business has named Christopher “Topher” Fuller as chief marketing and communications officer. Fuller will begin his role on 19 October.

Fuller brings more than two decades of experience leading integrated marketing and communications teams for global organizations, including Blue Origin, Inspire Brands and Yum! Brands.

Known for transforming complex narratives into award-winning global campaigns, Fuller will help continue the growth of the Darden School’s brand as a leading graduate business school led by the world’s best faculty, hub for academic research and innovation, and provider of continuing education for lifelong learners.

Fuller joins the School following the appointment of Yael Grushka-Cockayne as Darden’s 10th dean in August and after it was named the No. 5 business school in the United States by Bloomberg Businessweek in its “Best Business School Rankings 2026–27” in September.

“Topher brings the experience, creativity and collaborative leadership to help Darden build on its momentum,” said Grushka-Cockayne. “He already knows the School through his service on the Darden Leadership Communication Council, and I’m excited for him to work with our talented team to broaden the School’s impact by elevating awareness of the value of a Darden education and our faculty’s thought leadership to more people around the world.”

In his new role, Fuller will lead an enterprise communications and marketing team based in Charlottesville and the Washington, D.C., metro area. He will also work closely with senior leaders of the School and the Darden School Foundation.

The top-ranked public MBA program in the United States, Darden’s footprint is global—anchored by its Goodwin Family Grounds in Charlottesville; Sands Family Grounds in the Rosslyn district of Arlington, Virginia, which features views of the nation’s capital; and strategic representation in Shanghai, China and Mumbai, India.

“Darden has long held a special place in my heart, and joining this community is both a professional honor and a personal joy,” Fuller said. “At a time when business leaders face extraordinary change, Darden’s ability to develop sound discernment, inspire courageous leadership and create lasting opportunity matters more than ever. I’m excited to work alongside this talented team to tell that story and help more people see what a Darden education can make possible in their careers and their lives.”

Fuller most recently served as head of marketing and communications at Blue Origin, where he led global marketing and communications across brand, media relations, digital, creative, internal communications and executive positioning for one of the world’s leading aerospace organizations.

Before joining Blue Origin, Fuller served from 2014 to 2025 as chief communications and impact officer at Inspire Brands, where he led a team of more than 100 professionals across corporate and brand communications, internal communications, government affairs, social impact and creative services.

Earlier in his career, Fuller was senior director of global public affairs at Yum! Brands and director of public relations at Pizza Hut.

Fuller holds an MBA in marketing management from the University of Dallas and a B.A. in mass communications, public relations and advertising from West Texas A&M University.

His board leadership includes service with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the International Franchise Association and the Georgia Music Accord, and his honors include recognition as a PRWeek 40 Under 40 honoree and PR News PR Professional of the Year.