Difference between revisions of "Brown Lloyd James"

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'''Brown Lloyd James''' or '''BLJ''' is a PR and lobbying firm founded by [[Peter Brown]] and [[Howell James]]. It offers a number of services including 'Public Diplomacy', 'Reputation Management' and 'Government Relations', which it describes as follows: "Brown Lloyd James has personal contacts with leading policymakers and senior politicians around the world and across political spectra. We provide strategic guidance to organizations on how to position themselves before and communicate with this critical audience and to win them to your cause."<ref>[http://www.brownlloydjames.com/services.htm BLJ website], accessed August 2009</ref>
 
'''Brown Lloyd James''' or '''BLJ''' is a PR and lobbying firm founded by [[Peter Brown]] and [[Howell James]]. It offers a number of services including 'Public Diplomacy', 'Reputation Management' and 'Government Relations', which it describes as follows: "Brown Lloyd James has personal contacts with leading policymakers and senior politicians around the world and across political spectra. We provide strategic guidance to organizations on how to position themselves before and communicate with this critical audience and to win them to your cause."<ref>[http://www.brownlloydjames.com/services.htm BLJ website], accessed August 2009</ref>
  
==Controversy==
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==Controversial clients==
 
Brown Lloyd James's New York office was hired in 2009 to promote Libyan dictator Muammar Gadaffi as ‘a fascinating world figure’ around the time of his UN visit. It also worked with his son [[Saif Gaddafi]]. The agency's partner Sir [[Nicholas Lloyd]] defended the work done at a time when Libya was recognised by the UK and US governments. Protest group The [[Really Ethical PR Agency]] said however it was "time to remember the disgraceful work being done to imp­rove the image of something which is appalling". <ref> Matt Cartmell, [http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/1060326/Brown-Lloyd-James-targeted-protest-Gaddafi-promotion-links Brown Lloyd James Targeted In Protest At Gaddafi Promotion Links] PRWeek, 16 March 2011, accessed 15 June 2011 </ref>
 
Brown Lloyd James's New York office was hired in 2009 to promote Libyan dictator Muammar Gadaffi as ‘a fascinating world figure’ around the time of his UN visit. It also worked with his son [[Saif Gaddafi]]. The agency's partner Sir [[Nicholas Lloyd]] defended the work done at a time when Libya was recognised by the UK and US governments. Protest group The [[Really Ethical PR Agency]] said however it was "time to remember the disgraceful work being done to imp­rove the image of something which is appalling". <ref> Matt Cartmell, [http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/1060326/Brown-Lloyd-James-targeted-protest-Gaddafi-promotion-links Brown Lloyd James Targeted In Protest At Gaddafi Promotion Links] PRWeek, 16 March 2011, accessed 15 June 2011 </ref>
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In 2011 the firm faced flak for its work with the Assad dictatorship in Syria, reportedly $5,000-per-month work that included landing a fawning ''Vogue'' profile of Syrian first lady [[Asma al-Assad]].
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In May 2011 BLJ raised took on the task of promoting the cause of the Iranian opposition outfit [[Mujahideen-e-Khalq]]. The firm was hired by a Germany-based MEK backer named [[Ali Taslimi]] working on behalf of Camp Ashraf, a refugee camp in Iraq north of Baghdad that houses over 3,000 Iranian MEK members and supporters. For an initial fee of $40,000, BLJ signed on to provide political consulting services and "a broad range of public relations services for the months of May and June 2011" to Camp Ashraf, which is officially listed as the client. <ref> Asawin Suebsaeng, [http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/09/mujahedin-iran-mek-lobby-brown-lloyd-james Brown Lloyd James: Lobbying for Backers of a Terrorist Group], ''Mother Jones'', Oct. 3, 2011 </ref>
  
 
==People==
 
==People==

Revision as of 04:30, 8 September 2014

Twenty-pound-notes.jpg This article is part of the Lobbying Portal, a sunlight project from Spinwatch.

Brown Lloyd James or BLJ is a PR and lobbying firm founded by Peter Brown and Howell James. It offers a number of services including 'Public Diplomacy', 'Reputation Management' and 'Government Relations', which it describes as follows: "Brown Lloyd James has personal contacts with leading policymakers and senior politicians around the world and across political spectra. We provide strategic guidance to organizations on how to position themselves before and communicate with this critical audience and to win them to your cause."[1]

Controversial clients

Brown Lloyd James's New York office was hired in 2009 to promote Libyan dictator Muammar Gadaffi as ‘a fascinating world figure’ around the time of his UN visit. It also worked with his son Saif Gaddafi. The agency's partner Sir Nicholas Lloyd defended the work done at a time when Libya was recognised by the UK and US governments. Protest group The Really Ethical PR Agency said however it was "time to remember the disgraceful work being done to imp­rove the image of something which is appalling". [2]

In 2011 the firm faced flak for its work with the Assad dictatorship in Syria, reportedly $5,000-per-month work that included landing a fawning Vogue profile of Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad.

In May 2011 BLJ raised took on the task of promoting the cause of the Iranian opposition outfit Mujahideen-e-Khalq. The firm was hired by a Germany-based MEK backer named Ali Taslimi working on behalf of Camp Ashraf, a refugee camp in Iraq north of Baghdad that houses over 3,000 Iranian MEK members and supporters. For an initial fee of $40,000, BLJ signed on to provide political consulting services and "a broad range of public relations services for the months of May and June 2011" to Camp Ashraf, which is officially listed as the client. [3]

People

  • Peter Brown is described as a "well-known social and charity fixer. He has acted as an adviser to Prince Charles and Prince Edward. He is also known as "a key figure among the network of those known as ‘Peter’s Friends’", referring to his friendship with Lord Peter Mandelson, the British Business Secretary and former EU Trade Commissioner. [4]

Former people

  • Howell James, co-founder of BLJ, is a former Cabinet communications chief. In 2009 he is director of corporate affairs for Barclays Bank. James was reported to have once been in a relationship with Reinaldo da Silva, Peter Mandelson’s partner. [5]

Locations

BLJ has a number of offices worldwide, including: New York, London, Doha, Washington DC, Bejiing, Moscow, and Tripoli .

Contact

London Office:
25 Lower Belgrave Street
London SW1W ONR
tel: +44 20 7591 9610
fax: +44 20 7591 9611
website: http://www.brownlloydjames.com

References

  1. BLJ website, accessed August 2009
  2. Matt Cartmell, Brown Lloyd James Targeted In Protest At Gaddafi Promotion Links PRWeek, 16 March 2011, accessed 15 June 2011
  3. Asawin Suebsaeng, Brown Lloyd James: Lobbying for Backers of a Terrorist Group, Mother Jones, Oct. 3, 2011
  4. Peter Mandleson's PR friend opens office in Libya, Daily Mail, 30 August 2009
  5. Peter Mandleson's PR friend opens office in Libya, Daily Mail, 30 August 2009