Jonathan Lehrle

Jonathan Lehrle is a partner at lobbying and PR agency Bell Pottinger Geopolitical.

Background

He is the former director of Global Strategy Forum, chief of staff to deputy leader and shadow foreign secretary at the UK Conservative Party (Oct 2001-Jan 2006) and a foreign affairs and defence desk researcher at the Parliamentary Resources Unit.

Views

On foreign spin doctors working in Africa

Lehrle says there is less hostility to foreign advisers than there used to be,

US or British companies used to carry a stigma in Africa. It suggested that parties were out of touch, but with leaders like Obama and [David] Cameron hiring international advisers, there is less resistance.

According to Africa Report,

Foreigners have a clearly defined role "on polling, strategy and messaging", according to Lehrle, who has worked in Zambia, Kenya and Madagascar. He added that independent and professional polling is critical: "One company produced a poll in Zambia which claimed to be accurate within a range of plus or minus 10%. That means it could be 20% off the mark, so effectively useless."