Difference between revisions of "Weber Shandwick Public Affairs"
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Weber Shandwick took on [[BNFL]] as a client in 2002 <ref> P. Simpson (2002)WSW Picks Up BNFL Public Affairs Work, ''PR Week'', 22 April </ref> | Weber Shandwick took on [[BNFL]] as a client in 2002 <ref> P. Simpson (2002)WSW Picks Up BNFL Public Affairs Work, ''PR Week'', 22 April </ref> | ||
| + | ===2011=== | ||
*[[AgustaWestland]] | *[[AgustaWestland]] | ||
*[[Abbott Labs]] | *[[Abbott Labs]] | ||
*[[Association of British Healthcare Industries]] | *[[Association of British Healthcare Industries]] | ||
*[[Finmeccanica]] UK | *[[Finmeccanica]] UK | ||
| + | *[[First Source Solutions]] | ||
| + | *[[GKN]] plc | ||
| + | *[[Green Ocean Energy]] | ||
| + | *[[Guardian News & Media]] Ltd | ||
*[[Health & Safety Executive]] | *[[Health & Safety Executive]] | ||
*[[KPMG Jersey]] | *[[KPMG Jersey]] | ||
*[[NIE Energy]] | *[[NIE Energy]] | ||
| − | *RWE nPower | + | *[[RWE nPower]] |
*[[Scottish Resources Group]] | *[[Scottish Resources Group]] | ||
*[[Selex Galileo]] | *[[Selex Galileo]] | ||
Revision as of 16:07, 6 October 2011
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This article is part of the Lobbying Portal, a sunlight project from Spinwatch. |
Formerly known as Weber Shandwick GJW Public Affairs, Weber Shandwick Public Affairs (WSPA) is part of Weber Shandwick Worldwide, one of the largest PR companies in the world and largest in the UK, whose ultimate owner is Interpublic, one of the big three global communications conglomerates.
Described in PR Week as a “thrusting public affairs agency on the cutting edge of politics and lobbying , WSPA has absorbed many other lobby firms including GJW, Shandwick Public Affairs, Charles Barker Public Affairs. WSPA describes its staff as “spanning the political spectrum and including former special advisors, election aides and election candidates.”
Contents
History
Conservative Lord Chadlington, aka Peter Gummer, younger brother of John Gummer, founded Shandwick in 1974. [1] WSPA was launched in 1997 under the guidance of Lord McNally, now leader of the Lib-Dems in the Lords, and a friend of WSPA CEO, Colin Byrne (according to Byrne). [2] Lord Tom McNally joined Weber Shandwick in 1993, became non-exec vice-chairman of Weber Shandwick in 2003 a position he left in November 2004 on his appointment as Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. [3]
Friends in the right places
CEO Colin Byrne is described as a key figure in the interface between big business and New Labour. [4] Byrne worked for Labour and used to be Peter Mandelson’s flatmate. Andrew Brown, brother of Prime Minister Gordon, was also a Weber Shandwick employee (director of media strategy) before moving to nuclear energy company EDF. Former employees also include ex William Hague press aide and now Conservative MP for Witham, Priti Patel; Lib Dem MP for Winchester, Mark Oaten; and Graham Brady, Tory MP for Altrincham and Sale West and Shadow Minister for Europe.
According to Electoral Commission's register of donations, the company gave Labour £17,000 in August 2004 and a further £19,500 in September 2005. [5]
Revelations that former cabinet minister David Blunkett was paid £15,000 by Weber Shandwick to speak at a dinner convened by the agency in March 2005, prompted trade body the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) to review its code of conduct. Blunkett was introduced to Tariq and Lucy Siddiqi of DNA Bioscience, the firm at the centre of his downfall, at the dinner. [6]
In a recent post on his blog CEO Byrne said: “Perhaps it is time for lobbyists and politicians to accept the need and benefit of some form of formal registration and a total ban on politicians giving favoured access to political friends in lobbying roles. I think this is how it works in Washington.” [7]
Key People
- Colin Byrne
- Jon McLeod Chairman of UK Public Affairs at Weber Shandwick, McLeod went into public affairs in 1994 from financial and legal journalism. Clients he’s worked with include Microsoft, Shell, Coca Cola, Barclays, Mars, Clifford Chance, and NTL. McLeod is a Board Member of the East Midlands Development Agency and a council member of the Nottinghamshire Learning & Skills Council. In 2004, responding to a report showing politicians lack of trust in lobbyists, McLeod said: “I don't think anyone could swallow the idea of lobbyists going on a charm offensive. It would be a bit much to stomach.” [8]
- Priti Patel Now the Conservative Party’s first Asian female MP, Patel won the newly created constituency of Witham in Essex in the May 2010 UK elections. Patel had rejoined Weber Shandwick in December 2007 from drink company Diagio, (where she'd shaped a global strategy on responsible drinking). She previously worked at Weber Shandwick from 2000 to 2003 and has also been deputy press secretary to ex-Tory leader William Hague.
- Malcolm Gooderham Former Chief Press Secretary to Michael Portillo, and lobbyist with Bell Pottinger, Gooderham who is now with Weber Shandwick. Former MP Portillo is now Non-Executive Director at arms firm, BAE Systems.
- Luke Akehurst Akehurst has been a Labour Party activist since 1988, and a staunch Blairite. He was Parliamentary candidate for Aldershot (2001) and Castle Point (2005), and since 2002, has been Hackney Councillor (Chatham Ward) and chief whip of Labour in the London borough. He specialises in advising defence and aerospace companies. He has a Blog[9] which has been spoofed.[10]
Clients
Weber Shandwick took on BNFL as a client in 2002 [11]
2011
- AgustaWestland
- Abbott Labs
- Association of British Healthcare Industries
- Finmeccanica UK
- First Source Solutions
- GKN plc
- Green Ocean Energy
- Guardian News & Media Ltd
- Health & Safety Executive
- KPMG Jersey
- NIE Energy
- RWE nPower
- Scottish Resources Group
- Selex Galileo
- Serco
Resources
References
- ↑ Deborah Ross, "Interview-lord Chadlington: Lord, what a nightmare at the opera", Independent on Sunday, 08 December 1997.
- ↑ Colin Byrne's blog, 'Byrne Baby Byrne', 26 Oct 2007.
- ↑ Lib Dem website, Who's who
- ↑ Mark Hollingsworth, An infestation of lobbyists, The Guardian, 06 June 2001.
- ↑ Joe Murphy, “As Nuclear Power Gets Go-Ahead, The Links With Brown's Lobbyist Brother; Government Accused of Caving in to Industry”, Evening Standard, 11 July 2006.
- ↑ Ravi Chandiramani, "APPC to toughen code of practice" PR Week, 10 November 2005 (requires subscription).
- ↑ Byrne Baby Byrne, "More on Lobbying" 18 July 2007.
- ↑ "Public Affairs: A matter of trust", PR Week, 05 November 2004
- ↑ blog
- ↑ spoofed.
- ↑ P. Simpson (2002)WSW Picks Up BNFL Public Affairs Work, PR Week, 22 April
- ↑ APPC Register, 1 June- 31 August 2011, Weber Shandwick, acc 6 Oct 2011
