Kevin Bell

Kevin Bell exudes charm, polish and ardour - in an agreeable, English way. These are qualities that will be required in abundance if the seasoned lobbyist is to fire up American PR colossus Fleishman-Hillard's (F-H) rather lacklustre UK operation. It is a company from over there that has been doing not so well over here. Previous UK managing director Scott Clark, the placid young guy from Colorado who originally sold his healthcare agency CPR to the firm, has gone back home. And so after four years as managing director at F-H's public affairs arm GPC International, Bell, 46, has stepped into the wider role, overseeing a pounds 9m business. Bell passes 25 years in the public affairs industry in May. 'I'm a PR man who just happens to have been working in public affairs for most of my career,' he says, no doubt conscious of the broader challenges now under his remit. He began his career working at the eponymous agency of Tory MP Michael Forsyth. A stint at Profile Political Relations led to him co-founding Westminster Strategy alongside renowned lobbyists Rosemary Grogan and Michael Burrell, and taking a subsequent wider role at parent Grayling. He was later asked by namesake Tim Bell to set up Lowe Bell Political (which would become Bell Pottinger Public Affairs), and joined GPC in 2000.

Career

• 1980: Director, Michael Forsyth Associates
• 1987: Founding director, Westminster Strategy
• 1994: Founding director, Lowe Bell Political
• 2000: Managing director, GPC International
• 2004: Managing director, Fleishman-Hillard UK