PLMR

PLMR is a political lobbying and media relations company with specialist public affairs, monitoring and crisis management expertise. It works internationally including in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Europe, North America and Australia.

Activities

In May 2011 it was reported that PLMR's managing director Kevin Craig was the Vice Chair of Governors of Durand Academy, one of his firm's fee paying clients. The school - funded largely from the public purse - has admitted paying over £199,000 to PLMR between April 2009 and December 2010.

Durand Academy is currently funding a libel action brought by current and former employees over three emails sent by the Chief Auditor of Lambeth Council. According to Index on Censorship, the school has ignored a freedom of information request for details of how much it is spending on the court action — but it is believed the costs may already have run into six figures. It concluded:

The case of Durand Academy raises serious questions both about the chilling effect of UK libel law, and the creeping encroachment of the “reputation management” industry into public life.

In a May 2012 PRWeek promotional feature, Kevin Craig summed up PLMR's 'many' high points of 2011, which along with him winning 'Political Consultant of the Year' at the Public Affairs News awards, included:

attending the Cannes International Festival of Creativity and winning two Gold Lions for Best Media Relations and Best Public Affairs; successfully supporting HC-One - the company who took over 241 former Southern Cross homes by launching their new brand nationally; helping to secure £17M funding for our client to develop the first fully comprehensive secondary boarding school; winning a planning battle for the Ministry of Sound.

Craig named his most 'exciting client wins' of 2011 as: HC-One, Ministry of Sound , Arthritis Research UK, Sunrise Senior Living, Interxion Inc, Oxford University Press, European Care Group, Obesity Management Association.

People

Leadership

• Kevin Craig - Managing Director
• Chivonne Preston - Company Secretary and Head of Finance

Staff

• David Madden - Account director
• Chris Calland - Account director
• Elin Twigge - Account director, previously senior account manager
• Ros Trinick
• Rebecca Newsom - Account manager
• Alexis Darby
• Tim Knight
• Julian Winkworth
• Will Davies
• Teddy Ryan

• Lisa Bailey - a former Conservative Party staffer with "strong links across all levels of the Party". Bailey worked in the Shadow DEFRA Team for over two years before joining the Press Team at Conservative HQ "advising current Home Secretary Theresa May and MPs Nick Herbert and Greg Clark on maximising their media coverage around campaigns and policy launches. She worked in the Conservative Party Press Office throughout the expenses scandal undertaking a lot of crisis communications work".
• James Ford -Senior Adviser. "Before joining PLMR James was as an aide in the office of Mayor of London Boris Johnson (2010-12) where he advised on transport, environment and digital policy and worked on iconic projects like the introduction of the Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme, the Emirates Air Line, the launch of Tech City, the introduction of WiFi on the Underground, and the New Bus for London. Prior to joining City Hall, James was public affairs manager for the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2004-10) during which time he led successful campaigns in support of Crossrail and in opposition to the western extension of the congestion charge. He has also worked at two public affairs consultancies and as a civil servant at the Department for Work and Pensions." Ford has worked on "two Conservative general election campaigns, two Conservative leadership contests, three mayoral election campaigns, and been a candidate in two London local elections".

Former staff

• Kathrine Bancroft - was PLMR Associate Director from 4 October 2010 - tbc. She is a former press secretary to Vince Cable, MP, who played a key role in the 2010 election campaign,
• Jon Ware -former PLMR account Manager, now at RCGP
• Sara Kelly - now at Coadec
• Chris Calland - now at Hanover Communications

Clients

• Care UK
• Durand Academy
• Priory
• St Luke's Healthcare
• Tuke Institute
• Westward Care
• Casecadecare
• carebase
• Caring Homes Group
• Hartford Care Retirement Homes
• English Community Care Association
• Peterborough Renewable Energy
• The Chief Fire Officers Association
• Political Studies Association
• Lifetime Recycling Village
• Understanding Animal Research
• BIA
• Brookdale
• British Horseracing Authority
• British Horse Industry Confederation
• Cancer Research UK
• craegmoor
• interxion
• ReNeuron
• greenenergyparks
• EarlyBird Diabetes
• Combat Stress

According to PRWeek, PLMR's longest-held clients as of May 2012 were:

• BioIndustry Association, British Horseracing Authority, Caring Homes, Care Management Group, Combat Stress, Durand Academy, Green Energy Parks, Ministry of Sound, Interxion Inc, HC-One

Contact

Address: Unit 1C The Plough Brewery, 516 Wandsworth Road, London, SW8 3JX

Tel:0207 6229529

Email: kevin.craig@plmr.co.uk

Website: http://www.plmr.co.uk