Nigel Oakes

Nigel Oakes (Date of Birth: 03/07/1962) is the Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communication Laboratories (SCL}, the "leading supplier of strategic communications, information operations and public diplomacy to governments and military clients around the world". He is the older brother of Alex Oakes

False account of background

According to the SCL website in September 2007:

Oakes was educated at Eton College and studied psychology at University College London (UCL). In 1982 he joined Monte Carlo TV as a producer and in 1985 became its Head of International Production. He joined Saatchi and Saatchi as a Senior Producer in 1987.

In 1989 he established the Behavioural Dynamics Working Group at UCL and in 1990, the Behavioural Dynamics Institute (BDI) was formed as a centre of excellence and a research facility for strategic communication and social marketing. Over the next nine years BDi commissioned $17m in pioneering communication research programmes. In 1993 Oakes set up Strategic Communication Laboratories and using the new communication methodology from BDi, ran election campaigns and national communication campaigns for a broad variety of international governments. Published clients include South Africa, USA, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Antigua, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Grenada, Nepal, Pakistan and Switzerland.

FoI requests to UCL revealed that 'Nigel Oakes never attended UCL' and that 'we can find no record since 1955 of Nigel Oakes studying psychology at UCL. We have been trying to locate information about the BDWG, but so far have failed to find any information. However the psychology department have still to confirm definitively one way or the other. We will continue to investigate, and respond one way or the other.' Finally it was reported that 'Neither the Behavioural Dynamics Working Group or Nigel Oakes are known to the UCL Psychology Department.' UCL then wrote (on 17 september 2007) to Oakes asking him for details of his alleged involvement with the university and that 'If [he] did not study at UCL [to] please confirm that [he] will amend the SCL website' according to UCL Oakes did not reply. However the SCL website was altered to remove references to UCL. It now (January 2008) reads:

Nigel Oakes was educated at Eton College and later studied Psychology. In 1982 he joined Monte Carlo TV as a producer and in 1985 became its Head of International Production. Two years later Nigel joined Saatchi and Saatchi as a Senior Producer. In 1989 he established the Behavioural Dynamics Working Group and, in 1990, the Behavioural Dynamics Institute (BDi) was formed as a centre of excellence and a research facility for strategic communication and social marketing.

Elsewhere, on the BDI site it is said that 'In 1989 Nigel Oakes set up an academic working group at London University to develop a more effective method of communication for conflict reduction.' An FoI request to the University of London drew the following response:

There is no record of a person of this name being designated a Professor, Reader or Teacher of the University of London, although he could have been connected to one of the nineteen self-governing Colleges without being given one of these designations. The central University has no knowledge of or connection with a Behavioural Dynamics Working Group or a BDI.

What is the BD Institute?

So what of the Institute? There is a company called Behavioural Dynamics Holdings Limited which was created in 1991. In 2006 it had one director (Nigel Oakes) and a secretary N Dickens. documents at companies House show that the company 'was under the control of Diggle Investments Limited, a company incorpoorated in Jersey'. These documents also show that the company was dormant in 2006.

Other directorships

Name: NIGEL JOHN OAKES Nationality: BRITISH Latest Address: 11 BATTERSEA CHURCH ROAD, LONDON Postcode: SW11 3LY Date of Birth: 03/07/1962

• Company Appointments: Current: 2 / Resigned: 6 / Dissolved : 9

• SECRETARY Appointed: pre 28/09/1991 Dissolved: 01/01/1999 Occupation: DIRECTOR Company Number: 02544175 Company Name: BEHAVIOURAL DYNAMICS LIMITED Dissolved
• DIRECTOR Appointed: 18/03/1993Dissolved: 30/06/1998 Occupation: DIRECTOR Company Number: 02801165 Company Name: |THE HOTLINER COMPANY LIMITED Dissolved
• DIRECTOR Appointed: pre 09/11/1991

Dissolved: 08/10/1998 Occupation: DIRECTOR Company Number: 02558780 Company Name: UNIVERSAL LIVE COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED Dissolved

• DIRECTOR Appointed: 18/03/1993 Dissolved: 04/02/2003 Occupation: DIRECTOR Company Number: 02801160 Company Name: HARRINGTON OAKES LIMITED Dissolved
• DIRECTOR Appointed: 14/01/1994 Dissolved: 29/12/1998 Occupation: DIRECTOR

Company Number: 02693710 Company Name: ULC LIMITED Dissolved

• DIRECTOR Appointed: 26/01/1995 Dissolved: 10/11/1998 Occupation: CHAIRMAN Company Number: 03014815 Company Name: FINANCIAL PRESENTATIONS LIMITED Dissolved
• DIRECTOR Appointed: 08/02/1991Occupation: DIRECTOR Company Number: 02580903 Company Name: BEHAVIOURAL DYNAMICS HOLDINGS LIMITED Active
• DIRECTOR Appointed: 23/07/1996 Dissolved: 12/05/1998 Occupation: BUSINESSMAN Company Number: 03228280 Company Name: LEVEL 1 CONSULTING LTD. Dissolved
• DIRECTOR Appointed: 23/08/1996Dissolved: 16/06/1998 Occupation: BUSINESSMAN Company Number: 03241699 Company Name: ORGANISATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES LTD. Dissolved
• DIRECTOR Appointed: 29/05/1996 Dissolved: 10/03/1998 Occupation: COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT Company Number: 03204737 Company Name: BEHAVIOURAL DYNAMICS CONSULTING LIMITED Dissolved
• DIRECTOR Appointed: 03/10/2005 Occupation: COMPANY DIRECTOR Company Number: 05514098 Company Name: STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION LABORATORIES LIMITED Active
• SECRETARY Appointed: 19/12/1991 Resigned: 10/07/1992 Occupation: Company Number: 02674216 Company Name: RETAIL DYNAMICS LIMITED Active
• SECRETARY Appointed: pre 09/11/1991 Resigned: 13/04/1993 Occupation: Company Number: 02558780 Company Name: |UNIVERSAL LIVE COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED Dissolved
• DIRECTOR Appointed: 08/02/1991Resigned: 13/04/1993 Occupation: PRODUCER Company Number: 02580903 Company Name: BEHAVIOURAL DYNAMICS HOLDINGS LIMITED Active
• DIRECTOR Appointed: pre 28/09/1991Resigned: 13/04/1993 Occupation: DIRECTOR Company Number: 02544175 Company Name: BEHAVIOURAL DYNAMICS LIMITED Dissolved
• DIRECTOR Appointed: 19/12/1991 Resigned: 10/07/1992 Occupation: DIRECTOR Company Number: 02674216 Company Name: RETAIL DYNAMICS LIMITED Active
• DIRECTOR Appointed: 19/03/1993 Resigned: 08/02/1996 Occupation: DIRECTOR Company Number: 02801345 Company Name: MARKETING AROMATICS LIMITED, Dissolved