Tetra Strategy
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Tetra Strategy is a lobbying firm based in London, set up in 2007 by James O'Keefe, a former Labour Party staffer and Bell Pottinger director, and Lee Petar, one of the founding directors of BICOM (Britain Israel Communications Centre). [1]
The firm states it is:
- based on a set of guiding principles; the importance of achieving order, even where chaos appears to be all around and that well thought-out strategies and careful organisation can resolve many problems which may seem at first insurmountable. [2]
Contents
History
Foundation
According to PR Week, O'Keefe left Good Relations Political to found Tetra in the summer of 2007, and subsequently recruited four of his old colleagues in the following weeks. These included Petar, the most senior, Heidi Moore, Ruwan Kodi-Kara, and Katherine Nicholls. PR Week reported that the new agency had a 'strategic alliance' with Phil Hall Associates, a 14-strong PR firm run by ex-News of the World editor Phil Hall.[3]
Split
In March 2015 co-founder Lee Petar announced he would be leaving Tetra to establish a new firm called Aperture Communications.
In a statement O'Keefe said:
- 'After eight successful years of growing Tetra Strategy together we are today announcing the dividing of the business.'
- 'The decision to separate into two companies has been planned for a number of months. We believe that both companies will go from strength to strength, and wish each other well in what is an exciting time for us all.'[4]
Nuclear lobbying
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This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch. |
Engineering firm AMEC decided to switch its account from Good Relations to Tetra, ahead of the Labour Party conference in September 2007. PR Week reported: "Tetra Strategy will lobby ministers and officials to ensure that AMEC's name is in the frame when major public infrastructure projects are discussed. It will also have to lobby on nuclear power as AMEC is a major player in the new build of nuclear power stations in the UK."[5]AMEC remains a client as of October 2013. [6]
AMEC is featured as one of Tetra's main client testimonials on its revamped website in 2013:
- "An enthusiastic and committed team that has been a consistent element to AMEC’s business delivery for several years" and "Commitment to providing a first class service". [7]
Julie Kirkbride recruitment
Tetra recruited former Conservative MP Julie Kirkbride as a consultant when she stepped down at the 2010 election as a result of the parliamentary expenses scandal.[8]
Werritty affair
Petar introduced Adam Werritty, an associate of former Defence Secretary Liam Fox to the venture capitalist Harvey Boulter, prompting a controversial meeting between then Defence Secretary Liam Fox and Boulter in Dubai in June 2011.[9]
In a statement to the Guardian on the episode, Tetra stated:
- Tetra Strategy was retained in 2010 to provide litigation PR assistance to the Porton Group in connection with its ongoing High Court claim in England against 3M. The case concerned the development of new MRSA testing technology developed by the MoD. Tetra introduced its client to Adam Werritty in March 2011, who was widely believed at the time to be an official adviser to Dr Liam Fox. The purpose of the introduction was to brief the MoD on the litigation. The suggestion by the Guardian that Tetra was paid to arrange a "secretive" meeting with Dr Fox is not true and is expressly denied. Tetra is referring this matter to the PCC."[10]
In the week that the Werritty story broke in October 2011, with law firm Mishcon De Reya handled press inquiries about the scandal for Tetra, the agency announced the appointment of former News of the World deputy political editor Jamie Lyons to oversee media relations.[11]
Affiliations
Tetra Strategy is a member of the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC). Listed on its website as affiliates and network partners are PHA Media, Longwood Associates and MAS Consulting España.
People
- James O’Keefe, founding partner
- Lee Petar, founding partner
- Andrew Pakes, director and head of public affairs
- David Cracknell, associate director
- Hanna Madalska-Gayer, director and head of client services and operations
- Rt Hon Sir Richard Needham, chairman[12]
- Julie Kirkbride, consultant. Conservative MP for Bromsgrove from 1997 to 2010, served as shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport. Has also worked in the media with the BBC, ITN, the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph. Resigned as an MP after complaints about her and her husband's expenses claims. Married to former MP Andrew MacKay, a lobbyist with Burson-Marsteller. [13]
- Charli Collins, account director
- Thomas Nemes, account manager
- Rachel Rouse, account director
Former Staff
- Heidi Moore, account director. Followed O'Keefe from Good Relations to Tetra
- Ruwan Kodikara, account director. Followed O'Keefe from Good Relations to Tetra. Has also worked for lobbyists Bell Pottinger Communications, Chime Communications, MHP Communications and Quiller Consultants. Is currently the head of media and brand for Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats in the run up to the 2015 General Election
- Catherine Nicholls, account director (2007-2014). Is now policy and public affairs manager at lottery company Camelot.[14]
- Jamie Lyons, director and head of media (2011-2014). Former deputy political editor at the News of the World and political correspondent at the Press Association. Is now a partner at Bell Pottinger Political[15]
- Luke Tryl, account executive. Is now special adviser to the education secretary and equalities minister Nicky Morgan.
- Joel Kenrick - former special adviser to energy minister Chris Huhne until February 2012, listed on the Association of Professional Political Consultants' register as working for Tetra between 1 June and 31 August 2012. Tetra's registered clients in that quarter included energy companies AMEC and Sargas AS, [16]which awarded its global carbon capture brief to Tetra in mid-July 2012 [17]
Staff registers
September 2014-November 2014
Charlotte Collins | David Cracknell | Major General Arthur Denaro CBE DL | Julie Kirkbride | David Krikler | Sir Richard Needham | Thomas Nemes | Catherine Nicholls | Matthew Ogg | John O’Brien | James O’Keefe | Andrew Pakes | Tatiana Pankova | Lee Petar | Benjamin Roback | Joel Roberts | Rachel Rouse[18]
May 2013
Major General Arthur Denaro | Ellie Gellard | Barry Hartness | Sir Peter Heap | Joel Kenrick | Matthew Ogg | Garreth Matthews | Thomas Nemes | John O'Brien | Rachel Rouse | Tatiana Pankova
February 2013
Major General Arthur Denaro | Ellie Gellard | Sir Peter Heap | Joel Kenrick | Matthew Ogg | Garreth Matthews | Thomas Nemes | John O'Brien | Rachel Rouse | Tatiana Pankova
September 2012-November 2012
Charlotte Collins |Ellie Gellard | Barry Hartness (intern) | Joel Kenrick | Julie Kirkbride | Samantha Lishak (intern) | Jamie Lyons | Garreth Matthews | Sir Richard Needham * (parliamentary pass holder) | Thomas Nemes | Catherine Nicholls | James O'Keefe | Matthew Ogg (intern) | Tatiana Pankova | Lee Petar | Rachel Rouse
Former staff
- Henry Reid Account Executive
Clients
September 2014-November 2014
AkzoNobel | AMEC | British-Brazil All Party Parliamentary Group (pro-bono, no funders) | The Centre for Turkey Studies and Development | [[BSW Timber]] | CAP Consulting | Confor | General Mills | Hospedia | LACA | Lotteries Council | Mikhail Khodorkovsky | Peabody | Toyota Motor Europe | W.L Gore & Associates[18]
March-May 2013 APPC filing
AkzoNobel | AMEC | Dalestone Energy | Gore | Hospedia | LACA | Lotteries Council | Meningitis UK | Mikhail Khodorkovsky | Sikh Council UK | Tamares Capital | Toyota Motor Europe | Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA)
September 2012-November 2012
AkzoNobel | AMEC | Dalestone Energy | Gore | Hospedia | Jordan Aviation | LACA | Mikhail Khodorkovsky | National Casino Industry Forum (NCiF) | Sargas AS Tamares Capital | Toyota Motor Europe | Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA)
September-November 2010 APPC filing
AMEC | Executive Office of the Government of Dubai | Hospedia | Mikhail Khordorkovsky | Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) | Elbit | Tamares Capital | Dwr Cymru Welsh Water | | SAP | Axeon | Toyota Motor Europe | Genting UK | Davis Block LLC | British School of Motoring | DRL[19]
March-May 2010 APPC filing
AMEC | Executive Office of the Government of Dubai | Hospedia | Mikhail Khordorkovsky | Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) | Elbit | Tamares Capital | Dwr Cymru Welsh Water | London Brokerage Limited | SAP | Axeon | Toyota Motor Europe | Genting UK | Banks Developments | British School of Motoring | Redstone[20]
Pre-APPC clients
- AMEC from September 2007.[21]
- The Jewish Chronicle reported in June 2008 that Tetra had won a contract representing the Emirate of Dubai, and that the company "has advised pro-Israel charity KKL and the Innocent drinks brand".[22]
Contact, Resources, Notes
Contact
Address: 158 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 9TR
Website: http://www.tetra-strategy.co.uk/
Resources
Notes
- ↑ David Singleton, Tetra Strategy hires News of the World's Jamie Lyons as head of media prweek.com, 06 October 2011,
- ↑ Tetra Strategy joins APPC APPC website, acc 24 October 2011
- ↑ Good Relations loses four lobbyists to Tetra, PR Week, 14 September 2007.
- ↑ David Singleton Tetra Strategy boss quits to set up alone Public Affairs News, 16 March 2015, accessed 15 April 2015.
- ↑ AMEC drops Good Relations to follow O'Keefe, PR Week, 5 October 2007.
- ↑ Current Register 1st March 2013 - 31st May 2013 Tetra Strategy, acc 13 August 2013
- ↑ Clients, Tetra Strategy website, acc 7 October 2013
- ↑ David Singleton, Tetra Strategy signs ex-Tory MP Kirkbride, PR Week, 28 May 2010.
- ↑ Jim Pickard and Sam Jones, Donor revelations add to pressure on Fox, FT.com, 14 October 2011.
- ↑ Rupert Neate and Patrick Wintour, Revealed: how lobbyists were paid to facilitate meeting with Liam Fox, The Guardian, 10 October 2011.
- ↑ Tetra hires media head, PR Week, 14 October 2011.
- ↑ Rt Hon Sir Richard Needham Earl of Kilmorey Linkedin, accessed 27 January 2015
- ↑ Jason Groves Shamed former Tory MP Julie Kirkbride lands £100,000 lobbying job Daily Mail, 14 May 2010, accessed 27 January 2015
- ↑ Catherine Nicholls Linkedin, accessed 27 January 2015
- ↑ Jamie Lyons Linkedin, accessed 27 January 2015
- ↑ APPC Register Entry for 1 June 2012 to 31 August 2012
- ↑ Alec Mattinson, Sargas awards Tetra Strategy 'carbon capture' brief, PRWeek.com, 12 July 2012, acc November 2012
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Agency Register September to November 2014 PRCA, accessed 27 January 2015
- ↑ APPC,"Register Entry for 1 September 2010 to 30 November 2010", accessed 24.10.2011
- ↑ APPC,"APPC Register Entry for 1 March 2010 to 31 May 2010", acccessed 27.08.10
- ↑ AMEC drops Good Relations to follow O'Keefe, PR Week, 5 October 2007.
- ↑ Candice Krieger, Lee Petar goes from Bicom to doing PR for the Sheikh of Dubai, JC.com, 6 June 2008.
