Difference between revisions of "Grayling"

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Grayling is a PR group owned by [[Huntsworth]]. Amongst its firms are [[Grayling Political Strategy]] and [[Westminster Strategy]]. Other PR firms owned by Huntsworth include [[Citigate]], [[Citigate Public Affairs]] and [[Citigate Dewe Rogerson]]
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{{Template:Lobbying_Portal_badge}}
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[[File:Grayling and Oil and Gas UK.JPG|right|thumb|200px|Grayling's London office, Portland House, Bressenden Place - also houses oil lobbyists [[Oil and Gas UK]]]]
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[[File:Citigate.png|200px|right|thumb|Grayling Global's Brussels Office, Avenue des Arts 46]]
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'''[http://www.powerbase.info/index.php?title=Lobbying_Portal Back to Lobbying Portal]'''
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'''Grayling''' is a global PR and lobbying group owned by [[Huntsworth]] and established in 1981. Other companies in the [[Huntsworth]] Group include: [[Citigate]], [[Quiller]], [[Hudson Sandler]], [[Hunstworth Health]] and [[Red]].
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Grayling has over 50 offices in more than 30 countries. It is headquartered in London and has 9 US offices.
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
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*Grayling was founded in London in 1981. 
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*Its public affairs capabilities started with the formation of [[Westminster Strategy]] in 1986 and were gradually expanded to Brussels, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
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*Acquired by [[Lopex]] in 1988
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*[[RS Live]] became part of Grayling in 1995 with specialist expertise in event management. 
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*[[Lopex]] sold to [[Havas]]  in 1999
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*In April 2004, [[Huntsworth plc]] acquired a 70% stake in Grayling, while the 30% minority shareholding is held by Grayling's senior managers.<ref>[http://www.grayling.co.uk/modules/home_what.cfm website Grayling website]</ref>
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*In March 2008 Grayling merged with sister firm Global Consulting Group, both subsidiaries of Huntsworth Plc, to form [[Grayling Global]], focused on public affairs, public relations, investor relations and event management.<ref> Huntsworth website [http://www.hfgcg.com/ Home page], accessed 18 November 2008 .</ref>
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*In 2011, parent company, Huntsworth merged two of its companies, Grayling and Dutko, one of Washington's top-earning lobbying firms having bought it in 2009. It became known as [[Dutko Grayling]], but is now known just as Grayling.
  
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From the Grayling [http://www.grayling.co.uk/modules/home_what.cfm website]
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==Client work==
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:Grayling was founded in London in 1981 and quickly established itself as a leading UK PR consultancy.  Its public affairs capabilities started with the formation of [[Westminster Strategy]] in 1986 and were gradually expanded to Brussels, Edinburgh and Cardiff.  [[RS Live]] became part of Grayling in 1995 and remains the core of Grayling's specialist expertise in event management.  Meanwhile, the public relations activities were extended within the UK and Ireland, continental Europe and Asia.
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===Poisoned farmed Scottish Salmon===
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:[[Grayling]]'s work for [[Scottish Quality Salmon]] was to support their policy communications work with elected members and officials in Edinburgh, London and Brussels.  "Our only role was to support SQS to ensure that policymakers were informed of the scientific facts on the issue." ([[John McGill]], Grayling, headd of APPC Scotland)
  
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:Today Grayling employs 125 consultants in 11 businesses across nine international offices.  
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In January 2004 the ''Sunday Herald'' reported:
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:The US study that sparked the toxic salmon scare has been strongly defended by leading scientists following allegations from the fish farming industry that it was biased and flawed.
  
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:The group offers three distinct disciplines:  public relations, public affairs and event management and has enjoyed particular success in providing properly integrated corporate communications to a large number of its clients.  
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:"It is based on sound science and the results are undeniable," said George Lucier, former director of the US Department of Health's national toxicological programme and author of more than 200 studies on toxic chemicals. He has been backed by at least three other independent US experts.
  
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:In April 2004, [[Huntsworth plc]] acquired a 70% stake in Grayling, while the 30% minority shareholding is held by Grayling's senior managers.
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:The study, by scientists from four US universities and published 10 days ago in the US journal Science, analysed the levels of cancer-causing PCBs, dioxins and pesticides in 700 salmon from around the world. It found that farmed salmon were much more contaminated than wild salmon.
  
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:Despite the criticisms that followed, the conclusion has not been seriously challenged. But the subsequent findings - that eating farmed Atlantic salmon "may pose health risks that detract from the beneficial effects of fish consumption" - has provoked bitter argument.
  
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==New Labour networks==
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:The counterattack has been led by the salmon farming industry, which was forewarned of the study last October. It has alleged the research was biased because it was funded by a trust founded on US oil money.
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A Labour friendly lobbying consultancy before 1997. [[Jo Moore]], the New labour spin doctor famous for suggesting to colleagues that 9/11 was a &#39;good day to bury bad news&#39; used to work for [[Westminster Strategy]] after 1997 election and prior to landing job at DTI.
 
  
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She tried to secure a senior post in the Department of Transport press office for one of her friends, with whom she had worked for a Westminster lobbying company. The story appeared in The Independent, but she still continued to push for the appointment of [[Ann Wallis]], now a civil servant elsewhere in the Government.
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:The role played by the $ 3.8 billion [[Pew Charitable Trust]], which funds research into global pollution, was spelled out in the study, and highlighted by Science magazine, the journal of the [[American Association for the Advancement of Science]], the world's largest general federation of scientists. Any suggestion that Pew interfered has been denied by all involved.
  
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A little-known figure outside Westminster before her 11 September e-mail, her rise to notoriety was steady. She honed her spinning skills at Labour party headquarters under [[Peter Mandelson]] in Millbank before the 1997 election and was known as the "the cleaner" by colleagues for her ability to "fix" difficult political stories. Her nickname was based on the intimidating character Winston Wolf, played by Harvey Keitel in the cult film Pulp Fiction.
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:Nevertheless, the Scottish salmon farming industry maintains it has been the victim of a global conspiracy. "This was a deliberately engineered food scare orchestrated to attack the salmon farming industry in Scotland," said Brian Simpson, chief executive of [[Scottish Quality Salmon]] (SQS).
  
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She was feted at the highest levels of the Labour Party, and was even thrown a party at Downing Street after she left for a lobbying job at [[Westminster Strategy]]. Ms Moore even wore a silver lapel badge in the shape of an ice pick - the weapon used to dispose of Leon Trotsky - during the party's crusade against Labour's left wing.
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:Science's editor-in-chief [[Donald Kennedy]] dismissed the allegations. He said that the authors were all respected members of academic institutions. "Pew funded the study but left the authors free to publish their results without review," he told the Sunday Herald, adding that Science's peer-review process"is among the most rigorous in the scientific community".
  
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:The levels of contamination reported by the study have been accepted by both the [[Food Standards Agency]] (FSA) and [[Scottish Quality Salmon]] (SQS) in the UK.
  
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MPs and lobbyists yesterday concurred with a description of tactics used by lobbyists to influence the Commons committees that consider legislation, revealed in the Independent. Stephen Byers MP, a Labour whip, said the system was vulnerable because in deciding who to put on standing committees which amend proposed legislation, whips looked at who had spoken on a Bill's second reading. An MP's chances of being selected for the committee, "increase by a factor of 10", said Mr Byers, if he or she had shown an interest in the Bill by speaking on the floor of the House.  
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:"The levels of dioxins and PCBs found in this study are in line with those that have previously been found by the FSA," stated the FSA on January 8.
  
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At a private conference on Monday, [[Michael Burrell]], managing director of [[Westminster Strategy]], Britain's largest lobbying consultancy, guided members of his profession and executives from major companies and organisations through tactics which can be used.
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:The salmon industry was first alerted to the Science study by a talk given to an aquaculture conference in Vancouver, Canada, on October 27 last year. [[Charles Santerre]], of Purdue University in Indiana, said: "Expect this bombshell to be spun in an unfavourable manner, so I think the industry needs to be prepared for it."
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These included, Mr Burrell said, ensuring friendly MPs disguise their support of a client's position during the second reading of a Bill in the Commons. Speaking at that stage brings MPs to the attention of the whips, who select them for the committee. Once selected, they were more able to support the client's interests. Mr Burrell acknowledged this was a "Machiavellian" practice.
 
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==Letter from Michael Burrell==
 
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From Mr Michael Burrell
 
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Sir: Your front-page story ("Secrets of the MPs who help lobbyists," 3 October) is not a balanced account of what I said at a conference on Monday and, subsequently, to your Westminster correspondent Chris Blackhurst.
 
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After the conference he asked me to amplify comments I had made about the House of Lords. It rapidly became clear that he meant the House of Commons, since his interest was in standing committees which deal with Bills. The committee stage for a Bill in the Lords is taken on the floor of the House, not in a standing committee.
 
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I repeated to him - common knowledge, not a "secret" - that MPs who wanted to sit on a standing committee for a particular Bill would seek to speak on Second Reading, since demonstrating an interest in the Bill in this way was one of the factors taken into account by the party whips when they recommend who should be on the committee.
 
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I said that MPs who wanted to be on a committee would be well advised to demonstrate an interest in the Bill as a whole, rather than just a narrow point, and to speak in a moderate (not moderated) rather than an extremist way.
 
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I was, indeed, angry, not for the reason implied - I have never known an MP who said one thing to get on a committee, and then said another - but because your reporter's question bore no relation to the point I was making.
 
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Chris Blackhurst chose not to report one of the main pieces of advice I gave at this conference, as at every conference I have ever spoken at on lobbying - "Tell the truth".
 
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Yours faithfully,
 
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[[Michael Burrell]]
 
  
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Lobbyists are encouraging MPs to disguise their true beliefs in the House of Commons in order to get on to powerful standing committees which amend proposed legislation. Friendly MPs are urged to speak against the interests of lobbyists' clients to be chosen for the committees. Once on the committees the MPs are able to drop their opposition and argue in favour of clients, according to one of Westminster's leading lobbyists.  
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:Although Santerre was widely quoted as a leading critic of the Science study last week, it was not always made clear that he is a paid consultant of industry group, [[Salmon of the Americas]].<ref>Rob Edwards [http://www.sundayherald.com/39358 Scientists back toxic salmon study], Sunday Herald, 18 January 2004.</ref>
  
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This was part of a strategy set out yesterday before a private gathering at a hotel in west London of lobbyists and executives of some of Britain's biggest companies and organisations. Unknown to the speakers, a journalist from the Independent was also present.
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==People==
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===Senior people===
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*[[Sarah Scholefield]], MD of UK & Republic of Ireland
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*[[Richard Jukes]], chair of UK & Republic of Ireland
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*[[Sam Williams]], COO
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*[[Jan Simunek]], CEO, Continental Europe
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*[[Peter Harris]], CEO, USA
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*[[Loretta Ahmed]] CEO, Middle East, Turkey & Africa
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*[[Chris Tang]], CEO, Huntsworth Asia Pacific
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*[[Victor Benady]], global creative director at Grayling.
  
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Michael Burrell, managing director of Westminster Strategy, the country's largest lobbying consultancy, gave them a run-down on the legislative process and key steps towards influencing the path of a Bill. After advising them not to ignore Commons select committees - he singled out the Treasury and Civil Service Committee as a body with real power - Mr Burrell moved on to the way Bills reach the statute book.
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===Lobbyists===
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*[[Jonathan Curtis]], head of public affairs
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*[[Ross Laird]],<ref name="MP"> [http://www.appc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/MAY-14-REGISTER-1.9.14.pdf APPC Register for 1st March 2014 - 31st May 2014], accessed September 2014 </ref> Director of Grayling Political Strategy, Scotland, based in Edinburgh.
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*[[Steven Palmer]], US state and local government affairs practice leader. Palmer was the founder and president of the [[Dayton Group]], has worked at pharmaceutical companies [[TAP Pharmaceuticals]], [[SupplyScape]], [[Bayer]] and [[PhRMA]], was the director of public affairs at [[Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce]] and a budget associate and legislative assistant in the US House of Representatives in the early 1990s. He joined Grayling in 2009 as Denver office managing director.<ref> Laura Nichols [http://www.prweek.com/article/1325927/graylings-palmer-lead-government-affairs-practice Grayling's Palmer to lead government affairs practice] ''PR Week'', 10 December 2014, accessed 18 December 2014 </ref>
  
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It was vital, he said, to "supply information and arguments at the crucial moments", such as when a Bill went to a standing committee for further consideration. Membership of such committees is decided by party whips after hearing the Second Reading debate. Mr Burrell said one tactic was "to get your supporters to speak but not support you. Then they might get on to the standing committee. It's a bit machiavellian."
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===Listed UK lobbyists===
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====March 2016-May 2016====
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[[Alan Boyd-Hall]] | [[Angie Bray]] | [[Rikki Butler]] | [[Luke Cheadle]] | [[Freddie Coleridge]] | [[Jonathan Curtis]] | [[Bobbie Davies]] | [[Catherine Griffith-Williams]] | [[Madeleine Hall]] | [[Richard Jukes]] | [[Suzanna Kerr]] | [[Ross Laird]] | [[Craig Ling]] | [[Iona Macbeth]] | [[James McCollum]] | [[Christine McKenna]] | [[Huw Owen]] | [[Alexander Phillips]] | [[Matthew Revett]] | [[Tim Saunders]] | [[Pippa Smith]] | [[Thomas Symondson]] | [[Katie Thrift]] | [[Tim Watkin]] | [[Samantha Wiltshire]] <ref name="Mar16">[http://www.appc.org.uk/register/profile/?company=Grayling Grayling staff, Mar-May16], ''APPC'', accessed 16 June 2016</ref>
  
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He said the House of Lords was "more satisfying than the House of Commons". It was not easy to get results in the Commons "because of the power of the whips, but in the House of Lords you can change things". Mr Burrell named key policy-makers for lobbyists to target in an incoming Labour administration: [[Ed Balls]], a senior adviser to Gordon Brown, the Shadow Chancellor; [[David Miliband]], head of Tony Blair's policy unit; and Frank Field, the influential chairman of the Commons Social Services Committee.
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====September 2014-November 2014====
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[[Luke Boddice]] | [[Alan Boyd-Hall]] | [[Leah Bryant]] | [[Rikki Butler]] | [[Luke Cheadle]] | [[Jonathan Curtis]] | [[Bobbie Davies]] | [[Kathryn Eastwood]] | [[Robert Ford (PR)| Robert Ford]] | [[James Ford]] | [[Matthew Francis]] | [[Robert Girvan]] | [[Alistair Gordon]] | [[Jay Harman]] | [[Rebecca Holmes]] | [[Samantha Jay]] | [[Richard Jukes]] | [[Ross Laird]] | [[Patrick Leavey]] | [[Rebecca Leech]] | [[Craig Ling]] | [[James McCollum]] | [[Joe Moor]] | [[Caroline Narboni]] | [[Matthew Revett]] | [[Tim Saunders]] | [[Mohanvir Singh Saran]] | [[Pippa Smith]] | [[Peter Stilwell]] | [[Jack Storry]] | [[Thomas Symondson]] | [[Katie Thrift]] | [[Tim Watkin]]<ref name="sept14"> [http://www.appc.org.uk/members/register/register-profile/?company=Grayling Register 1st September 2014 - 30th November 2014] ''APPC'', accessed 20 January 2015 </ref>
  
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Asked by the Independent for examples of MPs who said one thing to get on a standing committee, where they then said another, Mr Burrell angrily refused. "It was a joke, it was off the record, the whole thing was subject to Chatham House Rules. Private meetings whose remarks may not be attributed. The basis I agreed to speak was that it was off the record. I did not speak as if I was speaking in public."
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===Former employees===
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*[[Richard J. Wolff]], formerly Vice Chairman of [[Grayling Global]], now Senior Advisor to [[Kreab Gavin Anderson]] and [[Prosek Partners]].
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*[[Alison Clarke]], former Group Development Director of [[Huntsworth]], stepped down in June 2015.
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*[[David Atterbury Thomas]], Grayling's former CFO.<ref> Global Consulting Group [http://www.hfgcg.com/ Global Consulting is now Grayling Global!], 13 March 2008, accessed 18 November 2008.</ref>
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*[[Michael Burrell]], former chairman of GPS, now with lobbying and PR firm [[Edelman]].  
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*[[Jo Moore]], formerly of [[Westminster Strategy]]
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*[[Bill Hamilton]], head of comms and stakeholder relations, [[Nuclear Decommissioning Authority]] since 2005, leads the Cumbria comms team
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*[[Nigel Kennedy]], former group chief executive. Until the 1980s he spent seven years in the oil industry primarily in marketing and public relations, working for [[Mobil]] in London and subsequently with [[Total Oil]] in London and then in Paris. Is now chairman of [[Commucan]]<ref> [https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/nigel-kennedy/12/46b/750 Nigel Kennedy] ''Linkedin'', accessed 20 January 2015 </ref>
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*[[Alison Clarke]], former CEO, UK & Republic of Ireland. Chairman of the [[Public Relations Consultants Association]], former business development director at [[Huntsworth PLC]] and president of [[Chartered Institute of Public Relations]].<ref> Matt Cartmell [http://www.prweek.com/article/1058147/grayling-appoints-alison-clarke-uk-ceo-loretta-tobin-takes-career-break Grayling appoints Alison Clarke UK CEO as Loretta Tobin takes career break] ''PR Week'', 3 March 2011, accessed 19 October 2014 </ref><ref> Sara Luker [http://www.prweek.com/article/1106137/grayling-uk-ceo-alison-clarke-become-prca-chairman Grayling UK CEO Alison Clarke to become PRCA chairman] ''PR Week'', 25 November 2011, accessed 19 October 2014 </ref>
  
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When MPs spoke at Second Reading debates, they were told to temper their true beliefs. Once chosen to serve on the committee they could discount their earlier view. "If your objective is to make sure your case is heard, you are bound to advise it is put in a moderated way. Then there is a good chance the MP will get on the standing committee.''
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==Clients==
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===Registrar of consultant lobbyists===
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The registrar of consultant lobbyists documents those clients on behalf of whom '''Grayling''' has met with government ministers, and the firm's listings since 2015 are as follows: 
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====April - June 2016====
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[[Hilton Worldwide]] | [[National Casino Forum]] | [[Wireless Infrastructure Group]] <ref>[https://registerofconsultantlobbyists.force.com/CLR_Public_Profile?id=00124000006byHIAAY 'Grayling Communications profile 2016'], ''Register of consultant lobbyists'', accessed 20 July 2016</ref>
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====January - March 2016====
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[[Wireless Infrastructure Group]] <ref>[https://registerofconsultantlobbyists.force.com/CLR_Public_Profile?id=00124000006byHIAAY Grayling Communications profile 2016], ''Registrar of consultant lobbyists'', accessed 3 May 2016</ref>
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====October 2015-December 2015====
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[[Fujitsu]] | [[Hilton Worldwide]] | [[National Casino Forum]] | [[People's Postcode Lottery]]
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====July 2015-September 2015====
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No listing
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====April 2015-June 2015====
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[[Earthport]] | [[Hilton Worldwide]] | [[Historic Houses Association]] | [[Wireless Infrastructure Group]]
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====January 2015-March 2015====
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[[Hilton Worldwide]] | [[Historic Houses Association]] | [[People's Postcode Lottery]] | [[University of Southampton]]<ref>[https://registerofconsultantlobbyists.force.com/CLR_Public_Profile?id=00124000006byHIAAY Grayling Communications profile 2015], ''Registrar of consultant lobbyists'', accessed 23 February 2016</ref>
  
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Mr Burrell has run [[Westminster Strategy]] since its foundation in 1986. His clients have included [[National Westminster Bank]] and the [[Corporation of London]]. Among those represented at yesterday's conference were British Aerospace and [[Cable & Wireless]].
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===Gatwick Airport===
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On the 18 December 2014 it was confirmed the agency had been appointed to communicate Gatwick's multi-billion transformation programme. The account will be headed up Grayling’s international and network managing director, [[Susan Hutchinson]].<ref> Isabelle Aron [http://www.prweek.com/article/1326938/grayling-wins-pitch-gatwick-airport-pr-brief Grayling wins pitch for Gatwick Airport PR brief] ''PR Week'', 18 December 2014, accessed 18 December 2014 </ref>
  
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==Poisoned farmed Scottish Salmon==
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===APPC lobbying register===
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====As at 1st March 2016 - 31st May 2016====
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[[ABB]] | [[AbbVie]] | [[Angel Trains]] | [[Arthritis Research UK]] | [[Automatic Vending Association]] | [[Battersea Cats & Dogs Home]] | [[Bield Housing Association]] | [[Blind Veterans UK]] | [[Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS)]] | [[British Hospitality Association]] | [[BT Scotland]] | [[BT Wales]] | [[Calor]] | [[Carillion]] | [[Colleges Scotland]] | [[Construction Workers Compensation Scheme]] | [[DSMEDF Energy]] | [[Fields in Trust]] | [[Fujitsu Services]] | [[Grant Thornton]] | [[Guide Dogs]] | [[Hager Environmental & Atmospheric Technologies (HEAT)]] | [[Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association]] | [[Heriot-Watt University]] | [[Highways England]] | [[Hilton Worldwide]] | [[Historic Houses Association]] | [[HORIBA MIRAIET]] | [[Inch Cape Offshore Ltd]] | [[J Sainsbury plc]] | [[Landscape Institute]] | [[Lloyds Banking Group]] | [[Lockheed Martin]] | [[LXB Retail Properties]] | [[National Association of Cider Makers]] | [[National Casino Forum]] | [[National Grid]] | [[National House Building Council]] | [[Network Rail]] | [[NHS Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group]] | [[Patrizia]] | [[Peoples Postcode Lottery]] | [[Riverside Housing Association]] | [[Scottish Rugby Union]] | [[Scottish Tourism Alliance]] | [[Sir Robert McAlpine]] | [[Southampton Solent University]] | [[Stornoway Wind Farm]] | [[Taylor Wimpey]] | [[Trust Housing Association]] | [[UKAS]] | [[Wallace Land]] | [[Wireless Infrastructure Group]] <ref name="Mar16"/>
  
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[[Grayling]]'s work for Scottish Quality Salmon is to support their policy communications work with elected members and officials in Edinburgh, London and Brussels.  Our only role was to support SQS to ensure that policymakers were informed of the scientific facts on the issue.  ([[John McGill]], Grayling, hd of APPC Scotland)
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====As at 1st December 2015 - 28th February 2016====
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[[ABB]] | [[AbbVie]] |  [[Alzheimer's Society]](Wales) | [[Angel Trains]] | [[Arthritis Research UK]] | [[Automatic Vending Association]] | [[Battersea Cats & Dogs Home]] | [[Bield Housing Association]] | [[Blind Veterans UK]] | [[Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service]](BAGS) [[British Hospitality Association]] | [[BT Scotland]] | [[BT Wales]] | [[Calor]] | [[Carillion]] | [[Carlton James Construction]] | [[Colleges Scotland]] | [[Construction Workers Compensation Scheme]] | [[Earthport]] | [[EDF Energy]] | [[Fields in Trust]] | [[Fujitsu Services]] | [[Grant Thornton]] | [[Guide Dogs]] | [[Hanover]](Scotland)| [[Housing Association]] | [[Heriot-Watt University]] | [[Highland and Lowland Reserve Forces and Cadets Associations]] | [[Hilton Worldwide]] | [[Historic Houses Association]] | [[HORIBA MIRAIET]] | [[Inch Cape Offshore]]Ltd | [[J Sainsbury]] plc [[Lloyds Banking Group]] | [[Lockheed Martin]] | [[LXB Retail Properties]] | [[National Association of Cider Makers]] | [[National Casino Forum]] | [[National Grid]] | [[National House Building Council]] | [[Network Rail]] | [[NHS Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group]] | [[Patrizia]] | [[Peoples Postcode Lottery]] | [[Riverside Housing Association]] | [[Scottish Rugby Union]] | [[Scottish Tourism Alliance]] | [[Sir Robert McAlpine]] | [[Southampton Solent University]] | [[Stornoway Wind Farm]] | [[Taylor Wimpey]] | [[Trust Housing Association]] | [[UKAS]] | [[Wallace Land]] | [[Wireless Infrastructure Group]] <ref name="Dec15">[http://www.appc.org.uk/members/register/register-profile/?company=Grayling Grayling staff, Register 1st December 2015-28th February 2016], ''APPC'', accessed 11 April 2016</ref>
  
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:The Sunday Herald  January 18, 2004
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====As of 1st September 2015 - 31st November 2015====
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[[AAYAABB]] | [[Alzheimer's Society]] |  [[Angel Trains]] | [[Arthritis Research UK]] |  [[Automatic Vending Association]] | [[Battersea Cats & Dogs Home]] | [[Bield Housing Association]] | [[Blind Veterans UK]] | [[BT Scotland]] | [[BT Wales]] | [[Calor]] | [[Carillion]] | [[Carlton]] | [[James Construction]] | [[Colleges Scotland]] | [[Construction Workers Compensation Scheme]] | [[Earthport]] | [[Fields in Trust]] | [[Fujitsu Services]] | [[Grant Thornton]] | [[Guide Dogs]] | [[Hanover Housing Association]](Scotland) | [[Heart Valve Voice]] | [[Heriot-Watt University]] | [[Hilton Worldwide]] | [[Historic Houses Association]] | [[IET]] | [[Inch Cape Offshore]] | [[J Sainsbury]] | [[Lloyds Banking Group]] | [[Lockheed Martin]] | [[LXB Retail Properties]] | [[National Association of Cider Makers]] | [[National Casino Forum]] | [[National Grid]] | [[National House Building Council]] | [[Network Rail]] | [[NHS Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group]] | [[Patrizia]] | [[Peoples Postcode Lottery]] | [[Riverside Housing Association]] | [[Scottish Rugby Union]] | [[Sir Robert McAlpine]] | [[Southampton Solent University]] | [[States of Guernsey]] | [[Stornoway Wind Farm]] | [[Taylor Wimpey]] | [[Trust Housing Association]] | [[UKAS]] | [[Wallace Land]] | [[West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association]] | [[Wireless Infrastructure Group]]<ref>[http://www.appc.org.uk/members/register/register-profile/?company=Grayling Grayling client list Sep-Nov15], ''APPC.org'', accessed 23 February 2016</ref>
  
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:The US study that sparked the toxic salmon scare has been strongly defended by leading scientists following allegations from the fish farming industry that it was biased and flawed.
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====As of 1st June 2015 - 31st August 2015====
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[[ABB]] | [[Allies and Morrison]] | [[Angel Trains]] | [[Automatic Vending Association]] | [[Battersea Cats & Dogs Home]] | [[Bield Housing Association]] | [[Blind Veterans UK]] | [[BT Scotland]] | [[BT Wales]] | [[Calor]] | [[Carillion]] | [[Colleges Scotland]] | [[Construction Workers Compensation Scheme]] | [[Cummins Turbo Technologies]] | [[Earthport]] | [[Edinburgh College]] | [[Fujitsu Services]] | [[Grant Thornton]] | [[Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association]] | [[Heart Valve Voice]] | [[Heriot-Watt University]] | [[Hilton Worldwide]] | [[Historic Houses Association]] | [[IET]] | [[Sainsbury]] | [[Janssen UK]] | [[LLoyds Banking Group]] | [[Lockheed Martin]] | [[London School of Business and Finance]] | [[LXB Retail Properties]] | [[National Association of Cider Makers]] | [[National Casino Forum]] | [[National Grid]] | [[National House Building Council]] | [[Network Rail]] | [[NHS Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group]] | [[Patrizia]] | [[Peoples Postcode Lottery]] | [[Riverside Housing Association]] | [[Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust]] | [[Ryder Cup Europe]] | [[SCA]] | [[Scottish Rugby Union]] | [[Sir Robert McAlpine]] | [[States of Guernsey]] | [[Stornoway Wind Farm]] | [[Taylor Wimpey]] | [[Trust Housing Association]] | [[UKAS]] | [[Wallace Land]] | [[West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association]] | [[Wireless Infrastructure Group]] | [[WPD]].
  
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:"It is based on sound science and the results are undeniable," said George Lucier, former director of the US Department of Health's national toxicological programme and author of more than 200 studies on toxic chemicals. He has been backed by at least three other independent US experts.
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====As of March 2014-May 2014====
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[[ABB]] | [[Anchor]] | [[Angel Trains]] | [[Bield Housing Association]] | [[British Library]] | [[BT Scotland]] | [[BT Wales]] | [[Calor]] | [[Careers Wales]] | [[Carillion]] | [[CITB-ConstructionSkills]] | [[Construction Workers Compensation Scheme]] | [[Cyfle Building Skills Forestry]] | [[Commission Scotland]] | [[Fujitsu Services]] | [[GE Healthcare]] | [[Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association]] | [[Heriot-Watt University]] | [[Hilton Worldwide]] | [[Historic Houses Association]] | [[IET]] | [[International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk]] | [[J Sainsbury]] plc | [[LLoyds Banking Group]] | [[Lockheed Martin]] | [[London Clubs International]] | [[National Grid]] | [[National House Building Council]] | [[Network Rail]] | [[Patrizia]] | [[Peoples Postcode Lottery]] | [[PNE Wind]] | [[Reed Smith]] | [[Riverside Housing Association]] | [[Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust]] | [[Ryder Cup Europe]] | [[Scottish Rugby Union]] | Sir [[Robert McAlpine]]<ref name="May"/>
  
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:The study, by scientists from four US universities and published 10 days ago in the US journal Science, analysed the levels of cancer-causing PCBs, dioxins and pesticides in 700 salmon from around the world. It found that farmed salmon were much more contaminated than wild salmon.
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*[[Allianz Worldwide Care]] <ref name="Allianz"> Matt Cartmell, [http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/1075339/Allianz-Worldwide-Care-appoints-Grayling-pan-European-brief Allianz Worldwide Care Appoints Grayling For Pan-European Brief], PRWeek, 15 June 2011, accessed same day </ref>
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*[[Allianz Insurance]] (the UK division of [[Allianz Group]])<ref name="Allianz"/>
  
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:Despite the criticisms that followed, the conclusion has not been seriously challenged. But the subsequent findings - that eating farmed Atlantic salmon "may pose health risks that detract from the beneficial effects of fish consumption" - has provoked bitter argument.
+
==Contacts==
−
 
+
:Website:
−
:The counterattack has been led by the salmon farming industry, which was forewarned of the study last October. It has alleged the research was biased because it was funded by a trust founded on US oil money.
+
:London Address: Portland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5BH
−
 
+
:Edinburgh: 107 George St, Edinburgh, EH2 3ES
−
:The role played by the $ 3.8 billion [[Pew Charitable Trust]], which funds research into global pollution, was spelled out in the study, and highlighted by Science magazine, the journal of the [[American Association for the Advancement of Science]], the world's largest general federation of scientists. Any suggestion that Pew interfered has been denied by all involved.
 
−
 
 
−
:Nevertheless, the Scottish salmon farming industry maintains it has been the victim of a global conspiracy. "This was a deliberately engineered food scare orchestrated to attack the salmon farming industry in Scotland," said Brian Simpson, chief executive of [[Scottish Quality Salmon]] (SQS).
 
−
 
 
−
:Science's editor-in-chief [[Donald Kennedy]] dismissed the allegations. He said that the authors were all respected members of academic institutions. "Pew funded the study but left the authors free to publish their results without review," he told the Sunday Herald, adding that Science's peer-review process"is among the most rigorous in the scientific community".
 
−
 
 
−
:The levels of contamination reported by the study have been accepted by both the [[Food Standards Agency]] (FSA) and [[Scottish Quality Salmon]] (SQS) in the UK.
 
−
 
 
−
:"The levels of dioxins and PCBs found in this study are in line with those that have previously been found by the FSA," stated the FSA on January 8.
 
−
 
 
−
:The salmon industry was first alerted to the Science study by a talk given to an aquaculture conference in Vancouver, Canada, on October 27 last year. [[Charles Santerre]], of Purdue University in Indiana, said: "Expect this bombshell to be spun in an unfavourable manner, so I think the industry needs to be prepared for it."
 
−
 
 
−
:Although Santerre was widely quoted as a leading critic of the Science study last week, it was not always made clear that he is a paid consultant of industry group, [[Salmon of the Americas]].{{ref|Edwards}}
 
  
 
==Resources==
 
==Resources==
−
 
 
*[[Grayling Political Strategy, UK Clients and Staff 1.12.03 to 31.05.04]]
 
*[[Grayling Political Strategy, UK Clients and Staff 1.12.03 to 31.05.04]]
 
*[[Grayling UK Clients, PRCA Yearbook 2004]]
 
*[[Grayling UK Clients, PRCA Yearbook 2004]]
  
−
==Footnotes==
+
==References==
 +
<references/>
  
−
{{note|Edwards}} Rob Edwards [http://www.sundayherald.com/39358 Scientists back toxic salmon study], Sunday Herald, 18 January 2004.
+
[[Category:Public relations firms]]
 +
[[Category:Lobbying firms]]
 +
[[Category:Scottish lobbying firms]]
 +
'''[http://www.powerbase.info/index.php?title=Lobbying_Portal Back to Lobbying Portal]'''

Latest revision as of 16:36, 20 July 2016

Twenty-pound-notes.jpg This article is part of the Lobbying Portal, a sunlight project from Spinwatch.
Grayling's London office, Portland House, Bressenden Place - also houses oil lobbyists Oil and Gas UK
Grayling Global's Brussels Office, Avenue des Arts 46

Back to Lobbying Portal Grayling is a global PR and lobbying group owned by Huntsworth and established in 1981. Other companies in the Huntsworth Group include: Citigate, Quiller, Hudson Sandler, Hunstworth Health and Red.

Grayling has over 50 offices in more than 30 countries. It is headquartered in London and has 9 US offices.

History

  • Grayling was founded in London in 1981.
  • Its public affairs capabilities started with the formation of Westminster Strategy in 1986 and were gradually expanded to Brussels, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
  • Acquired by Lopex in 1988
  • RS Live became part of Grayling in 1995 with specialist expertise in event management.
  • Lopex sold to Havas in 1999
  • In April 2004, Huntsworth plc acquired a 70% stake in Grayling, while the 30% minority shareholding is held by Grayling's senior managers.[1]
  • In March 2008 Grayling merged with sister firm Global Consulting Group, both subsidiaries of Huntsworth Plc, to form Grayling Global, focused on public affairs, public relations, investor relations and event management.[2]
  • In 2011, parent company, Huntsworth merged two of its companies, Grayling and Dutko, one of Washington's top-earning lobbying firms having bought it in 2009. It became known as Dutko Grayling, but is now known just as Grayling.

Client work

Poisoned farmed Scottish Salmon

Grayling's work for Scottish Quality Salmon was to support their policy communications work with elected members and officials in Edinburgh, London and Brussels. "Our only role was to support SQS to ensure that policymakers were informed of the scientific facts on the issue." (John McGill, Grayling, headd of APPC Scotland)

In January 2004 the Sunday Herald reported:

The US study that sparked the toxic salmon scare has been strongly defended by leading scientists following allegations from the fish farming industry that it was biased and flawed.
"It is based on sound science and the results are undeniable," said George Lucier, former director of the US Department of Health's national toxicological programme and author of more than 200 studies on toxic chemicals. He has been backed by at least three other independent US experts.
The study, by scientists from four US universities and published 10 days ago in the US journal Science, analysed the levels of cancer-causing PCBs, dioxins and pesticides in 700 salmon from around the world. It found that farmed salmon were much more contaminated than wild salmon.
Despite the criticisms that followed, the conclusion has not been seriously challenged. But the subsequent findings - that eating farmed Atlantic salmon "may pose health risks that detract from the beneficial effects of fish consumption" - has provoked bitter argument.
The counterattack has been led by the salmon farming industry, which was forewarned of the study last October. It has alleged the research was biased because it was funded by a trust founded on US oil money.
The role played by the $ 3.8 billion Pew Charitable Trust, which funds research into global pollution, was spelled out in the study, and highlighted by Science magazine, the journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's largest general federation of scientists. Any suggestion that Pew interfered has been denied by all involved.
Nevertheless, the Scottish salmon farming industry maintains it has been the victim of a global conspiracy. "This was a deliberately engineered food scare orchestrated to attack the salmon farming industry in Scotland," said Brian Simpson, chief executive of Scottish Quality Salmon (SQS).
Science's editor-in-chief Donald Kennedy dismissed the allegations. He said that the authors were all respected members of academic institutions. "Pew funded the study but left the authors free to publish their results without review," he told the Sunday Herald, adding that Science's peer-review process"is among the most rigorous in the scientific community".
The levels of contamination reported by the study have been accepted by both the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Scottish Quality Salmon (SQS) in the UK.
"The levels of dioxins and PCBs found in this study are in line with those that have previously been found by the FSA," stated the FSA on January 8.
The salmon industry was first alerted to the Science study by a talk given to an aquaculture conference in Vancouver, Canada, on October 27 last year. Charles Santerre, of Purdue University in Indiana, said: "Expect this bombshell to be spun in an unfavourable manner, so I think the industry needs to be prepared for it."
Although Santerre was widely quoted as a leading critic of the Science study last week, it was not always made clear that he is a paid consultant of industry group, Salmon of the Americas.[3]

People

Senior people

Lobbyists

Listed UK lobbyists

March 2016-May 2016

Alan Boyd-Hall | Angie Bray | Rikki Butler | Luke Cheadle | Freddie Coleridge | Jonathan Curtis | Bobbie Davies | Catherine Griffith-Williams | Madeleine Hall | Richard Jukes | Suzanna Kerr | Ross Laird | Craig Ling | Iona Macbeth | James McCollum | Christine McKenna | Huw Owen | Alexander Phillips | Matthew Revett | Tim Saunders | Pippa Smith | Thomas Symondson | Katie Thrift | Tim Watkin | Samantha Wiltshire [6]

September 2014-November 2014

Luke Boddice | Alan Boyd-Hall | Leah Bryant | Rikki Butler | Luke Cheadle | Jonathan Curtis | Bobbie Davies | Kathryn Eastwood | Robert Ford | James Ford | Matthew Francis | Robert Girvan | Alistair Gordon | Jay Harman | Rebecca Holmes | Samantha Jay | Richard Jukes | Ross Laird | Patrick Leavey | Rebecca Leech | Craig Ling | James McCollum | Joe Moor | Caroline Narboni | Matthew Revett | Tim Saunders | Mohanvir Singh Saran | Pippa Smith | Peter Stilwell | Jack Storry | Thomas Symondson | Katie Thrift | Tim Watkin[7]

Former employees

Clients

Registrar of consultant lobbyists

The registrar of consultant lobbyists documents those clients on behalf of whom Grayling has met with government ministers, and the firm's listings since 2015 are as follows:

April - June 2016

Hilton Worldwide | National Casino Forum | Wireless Infrastructure Group [12]

January - March 2016

Wireless Infrastructure Group [13]

October 2015-December 2015

Fujitsu | Hilton Worldwide | National Casino Forum | People's Postcode Lottery

July 2015-September 2015

No listing

April 2015-June 2015

Earthport | Hilton Worldwide | Historic Houses Association | Wireless Infrastructure Group

January 2015-March 2015

Hilton Worldwide | Historic Houses Association | People's Postcode Lottery | University of Southampton[14]

Gatwick Airport

On the 18 December 2014 it was confirmed the agency had been appointed to communicate Gatwick's multi-billion transformation programme. The account will be headed up Grayling’s international and network managing director, Susan Hutchinson.[15]

APPC lobbying register

As at 1st March 2016 - 31st May 2016

ABB | AbbVie | Angel Trains | Arthritis Research UK | Automatic Vending Association | Battersea Cats & Dogs Home | Bield Housing Association | Blind Veterans UK | Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS) | British Hospitality Association | BT Scotland | BT Wales | Calor | Carillion | Colleges Scotland | Construction Workers Compensation Scheme | DSMEDF Energy | Fields in Trust | Fujitsu Services | Grant Thornton | Guide Dogs | Hager Environmental & Atmospheric Technologies (HEAT) | Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association | Heriot-Watt University | Highways England | Hilton Worldwide | Historic Houses Association | HORIBA MIRAIET | Inch Cape Offshore Ltd | J Sainsbury plc | Landscape Institute | Lloyds Banking Group | Lockheed Martin | LXB Retail Properties | National Association of Cider Makers | National Casino Forum | National Grid | National House Building Council | Network Rail | NHS Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group | Patrizia | Peoples Postcode Lottery | Riverside Housing Association | Scottish Rugby Union | Scottish Tourism Alliance | Sir Robert McAlpine | Southampton Solent University | Stornoway Wind Farm | Taylor Wimpey | Trust Housing Association | UKAS | Wallace Land | Wireless Infrastructure Group [6]

As at 1st December 2015 - 28th February 2016

ABB | AbbVie | Alzheimer's Society(Wales) | Angel Trains | Arthritis Research UK | Automatic Vending Association | Battersea Cats & Dogs Home | Bield Housing Association | Blind Veterans UK | Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service(BAGS) British Hospitality Association | BT Scotland | BT Wales | Calor | Carillion | Carlton James Construction | Colleges Scotland | Construction Workers Compensation Scheme | Earthport | EDF Energy | Fields in Trust | Fujitsu Services | Grant Thornton | Guide Dogs | Hanover(Scotland)| Housing Association | Heriot-Watt University | Highland and Lowland Reserve Forces and Cadets Associations | Hilton Worldwide | Historic Houses Association | HORIBA MIRAIET | Inch Cape OffshoreLtd | J Sainsbury plc Lloyds Banking Group | Lockheed Martin | LXB Retail Properties | National Association of Cider Makers | National Casino Forum | National Grid | National House Building Council | Network Rail | NHS Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group | Patrizia | Peoples Postcode Lottery | Riverside Housing Association | Scottish Rugby Union | Scottish Tourism Alliance | Sir Robert McAlpine | Southampton Solent University | Stornoway Wind Farm | Taylor Wimpey | Trust Housing Association | UKAS | Wallace Land | Wireless Infrastructure Group [16]

As of 1st September 2015 - 31st November 2015

AAYAABB | Alzheimer's Society | Angel Trains | Arthritis Research UK | Automatic Vending Association | Battersea Cats & Dogs Home | Bield Housing Association | Blind Veterans UK | BT Scotland | BT Wales | Calor | Carillion | Carlton | James Construction | Colleges Scotland | Construction Workers Compensation Scheme | Earthport | Fields in Trust | Fujitsu Services | Grant Thornton | Guide Dogs | Hanover Housing Association(Scotland) | Heart Valve Voice | Heriot-Watt University | Hilton Worldwide | Historic Houses Association | IET | Inch Cape Offshore | J Sainsbury | Lloyds Banking Group | Lockheed Martin | LXB Retail Properties | National Association of Cider Makers | National Casino Forum | National Grid | National House Building Council | Network Rail | NHS Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group | Patrizia | Peoples Postcode Lottery | Riverside Housing Association | Scottish Rugby Union | Sir Robert McAlpine | Southampton Solent University | States of Guernsey | Stornoway Wind Farm | Taylor Wimpey | Trust Housing Association | UKAS | Wallace Land | West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association | Wireless Infrastructure Group[17]

As of 1st June 2015 - 31st August 2015

ABB | Allies and Morrison | Angel Trains | Automatic Vending Association | Battersea Cats & Dogs Home | Bield Housing Association | Blind Veterans UK | BT Scotland | BT Wales | Calor | Carillion | Colleges Scotland | Construction Workers Compensation Scheme | Cummins Turbo Technologies | Earthport | Edinburgh College | Fujitsu Services | Grant Thornton | Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association | Heart Valve Voice | Heriot-Watt University | Hilton Worldwide | Historic Houses Association | IET | Sainsbury | Janssen UK | LLoyds Banking Group | Lockheed Martin | London School of Business and Finance | LXB Retail Properties | National Association of Cider Makers | National Casino Forum | National Grid | National House Building Council | Network Rail | NHS Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group | Patrizia | Peoples Postcode Lottery | Riverside Housing Association | Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust | Ryder Cup Europe | SCA | Scottish Rugby Union | Sir Robert McAlpine | States of Guernsey | Stornoway Wind Farm | Taylor Wimpey | Trust Housing Association | UKAS | Wallace Land | West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association | Wireless Infrastructure Group | WPD.

As of March 2014-May 2014

ABB | Anchor | Angel Trains | Bield Housing Association | British Library | BT Scotland | BT Wales | Calor | Careers Wales | Carillion | CITB-ConstructionSkills | Construction Workers Compensation Scheme | Cyfle Building Skills Forestry | Commission Scotland | Fujitsu Services | GE Healthcare | Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association | Heriot-Watt University | Hilton Worldwide | Historic Houses Association | IET | International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk | J Sainsbury plc | LLoyds Banking Group | Lockheed Martin | London Clubs International | National Grid | National House Building Council | Network Rail | Patrizia | Peoples Postcode Lottery | PNE Wind | Reed Smith | Riverside Housing Association | Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust | Ryder Cup Europe | Scottish Rugby Union | Sir Robert McAlpine[18]

Contacts

Website:
London Address: Portland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5BH
Edinburgh: 107 George St, Edinburgh, EH2 3ES

Resources

References

  1. ↑ website Grayling website
  2. ↑ Huntsworth website Home page, accessed 18 November 2008 .
  3. ↑ Rob Edwards Scientists back toxic salmon study, Sunday Herald, 18 January 2004.
  4. ↑ APPC Register for 1st March 2014 - 31st May 2014, accessed September 2014
  5. ↑ Laura Nichols Grayling's Palmer to lead government affairs practice PR Week, 10 December 2014, accessed 18 December 2014
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Grayling staff, Mar-May16, APPC, accessed 16 June 2016
  7. ↑ Register 1st September 2014 - 30th November 2014 APPC, accessed 20 January 2015
  8. ↑ Global Consulting Group Global Consulting is now Grayling Global!, 13 March 2008, accessed 18 November 2008.
  9. ↑ Nigel Kennedy Linkedin, accessed 20 January 2015
  10. ↑ Matt Cartmell Grayling appoints Alison Clarke UK CEO as Loretta Tobin takes career break PR Week, 3 March 2011, accessed 19 October 2014
  11. ↑ Sara Luker Grayling UK CEO Alison Clarke to become PRCA chairman PR Week, 25 November 2011, accessed 19 October 2014
  12. ↑ 'Grayling Communications profile 2016', Register of consultant lobbyists, accessed 20 July 2016
  13. ↑ Grayling Communications profile 2016, Registrar of consultant lobbyists, accessed 3 May 2016
  14. ↑ Grayling Communications profile 2015, Registrar of consultant lobbyists, accessed 23 February 2016
  15. ↑ Isabelle Aron Grayling wins pitch for Gatwick Airport PR brief PR Week, 18 December 2014, accessed 18 December 2014
  16. ↑ Grayling staff, Register 1st December 2015-28th February 2016, APPC, accessed 11 April 2016
  17. ↑ Grayling client list Sep-Nov15, APPC.org, accessed 23 February 2016
  18. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named May
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Matt Cartmell, Allianz Worldwide Care Appoints Grayling For Pan-European Brief, PRWeek, 15 June 2011, accessed same day

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