Fleishman-Hillard

This article is part of the Foodspin project of Spinwatch.

This article is part of the Lobbying Portal, a sunlight project from Spinwatch.

This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

Fleishman Hillard London office above Covent Garden tube station

Fleishman-Hillard Brussels office, Square de Meeûs 35, Brussels

Fleishman-Hillard is one of the biggest PR companies in the world. Its parent company is the Omnicom group Inc, which is a huge conglomerate that describes itself as a "global leader in Marketing and Global Communications". It has absorbed the group of firms formerly trading under the name GPC International.

Global operation

Headquartered in St. Louis, Fleishman-Hillard has over 80 offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, South Africa, and Latin America. It operates through a variety of networks:

On 4 November 2015, it was confirmed that John Saunders would be succeeding Dave Senay as President and CEO of Fleishman-Hillard. He served as EMEA president for the company for the fours year leading up to the appointment. He will be moving to Fleishman's global HQ in St Louis.^[1]

UK operation

Fleishman-Hillard has three offices in the UK and Ireland: London, Fleishman-Hillard (Edinburgh) and Dublin. Services include 'keeping clients up to speed on all things political'. For example, in 2005 F-H distributed a glossy brochure to their clients sketching the likely changes that could be expected under a Labour government led by Gordon Brown. Kevin Maguire wrote in the New Statesman in April 2005: 'Warning multinational bosses that the next Labour premier's philosophy is built on - wait for it - equity, the booklet predicts Brown will centralise power around himself'.^[2]

Fleishman-Hillard can be found in Powerbase's Westminster lobbying map

On 2 November 2015, it was confirmed that Fleishman-Hillard and Fishburn Hedges would be merging their UK operations, taking on the name Fleishman-Hillard Fishburn and merging their offices into Omnicom's Bamkside premises. It will now have more than 200 employees and is likely to gross between £25-£30 million annually. ^[3]

People

Jim Donaldson, UK managing director. Worked at a number of PR and lobbyists including Burson-Marsteller, KBH Communications, The Communication Group plc, Hill and Knowlton and Weber Shandwick^[4]

Revolving door

Simon Benson, lobbyist. Benson was a special adviser to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith while she was chief whip from May 2006 to June 2007. Before that, Benson was a special adviser to the previous chief whip Hilary Armstrong.^[5]
Paul Borge, head of digital. F-H was bought in to support David Davis' by-election fight following his resignation in summer 2008 from the Conservative Party front bench over the government's plans to extend detention to 42 days. Kevin Bell said the agency's digital team had been involved in the design of Davis' website, adding that he has known Davis for 20 years. Bell said he would not rule out providing further PR support should Davis need it.^[6]
James Dowling, FH Public Affairs and Corporate Communications team. Dowling is a former senior HM Treasury official who was Head of Insurance Sector Policy, Insurance and Risk, and before that was Head of the Finance Bill team, Budget Strategy and Tax (2007 – 09) with overall responsibility for delivering the Finance Bill. He initially joined the Treasury in 2006. Prior to the Treasury, he worked in DCMS (2003-06) including in the Olympic Games Unit. ^[7]
Sarah Jenkins, account director, public affairs and corporate communications at Fleishman-Hillard since November 2012. Jenkins is a former private secretary to the UK commercial secretary Lord Sassoon at HM Treasury (October 2009 – April 2012) and was a team member of the Lord Heseltine Review Team at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills from April-November 2012. Before that she was parliamentary and public affairs manager at the Office of Government Commerce (now Cabinet Office (2007-09) and a parliamentary research assistant to Liz Lynne MEP. ^[8]
Steve Race, account director since 2011. Former senior researcher to Rt Hon Ben Bradshaw MP between 2007 and 2011.^[9]Stood in 2015 General Election as the Labour candidate for East Devon, taking 10.2% of the vote and coming 4th. ^[10]

Others

Steph Bailey, director. Former managing director at Red Consultancy.^[11]
Matthew Orman - associate director since 2012, worked previously for Nestle, Hume Brophy and Interel

APPC Register

September 2015-November 2015

June 2015-August 2015

March 2015-May 2015

December 2014-February 2015

September 2014-November 2014

June 2014-August 2014

March 2014-May 2014

December 2013-February 2014

September 2013-November 2013

June 2013-August 2013

March 2013-May 2013

December 2012-February 2013

Former staff

Kevin Bell, Is now global practice chair for public affairs at Burson-Marsteller. Former executive Vice President and Senior Partner (UK and South Africa), joined Maitland Political as executive chairman after leaving FH. Bell is described as one of the "great and the good” in the PR industry. He is a former adviser to Margaret Thatcher "Managing a team of 150-plus consultants in Fleishman-Hillard's London, Edinburgh and Johannesburg offices, Kevin specialises in advising senior executives of leading blue-chip companies, as well as senior politicians on their communications strategies."^[24] He is the ex-Founding Director of Westminster Strategy, established Lowe Bell Political (later Bell Pottinger Public Affairs) in 1994, and joined GPC International UK in 2000. He is a trustee of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).^[25]
Sophie Pim, now Sophie Hearn. Is currently undergoing Teacher training and PGCE with Wandsworth SCITT (Schools-Centred Initial Teacher Training)^[26]. Was an associate director at Fleishman-Hillard between September 2006 and August 2014. Pim was David Cameron's former operations manager, who is described as bringing “first hand experience of the inner workings of the Cameron team.”^[27]
Alex Bigg - Group MD Corporate and Financial at Edelman (2010-2011), previously MD Public Affairs (2008-2010) ^[28]
Henry Featherstone, current director of public affairs at Genzyme Therapeutics. Was senior policy advisor at FH between October 2010 and February 2012, head of health & social care unit at Policy Exchange between November 2008 and October 2010, chief of staff and parliamentary researcher at the House of Commons.^[29]
Andy Reed, former senior counsel on sport policy and public affairs at FH, 2013 until August 2014 and Labour MP 1997-2010.
Claire Ashbridge-Thomlinson, is the director and founding partner of East London Brewing Company. Former director of strategy and business development in healthcare at Fleishman-Hillard and senior associate in health practice at APCO.
Nick Williams, former head of public affairs and senior vice president. Williams was an advisor to the Labour Party from 1993-97, and part of Tony Blair's team during the 2001 and 2005 general elections.
Richard Kanareck, former managing director, London. Former director at The Red Consultancy, head of PR and communications at eBay UK and EU communications director at Ebay. Now chief comms officer at Ovo Energy.

UK lobbying clients

Registrar of consultant lobbyists

January-March 2016

October - December 2015

Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers | Danone Nutricia | Omidyar Network | Qualcomm | SAP ^[31]

July - September 2015

April - June 2015

January - March 2015

APPC lobbying register

September 2015-November 2015

June 2015-August 2015

March 2015-May 2015

December 2014-February 2015

September 2014-November 2014

June 2014-August 2014

March 2014-May 2014

December 2013-February 2014

September 2013-November 2013

June 2013-August 2013

March 2013-May 2013

December 2012-February 2013

2011

2008

Scottish operation

The Fleishman-Hillard office in Edinburgh was originally set up as GPC in 1996 ahead of the establishment of a Scottish Parliament in 1999.

They boast that "Within Scotland, we are unrivalled in the depth and breadth of our knowledge on the detail of devolution and how the Scottish Parliament really operates in practice". They go on to say:

"We pride ourselves on our understanding of how the Scottish political, policy, and media agendas impacts the rest of the United Kingdom and companies and organisations and their businesses. We can make a difference to our clients' business objectives by combining the right resources, people, and skills with a clear perspective and an innovative approach to any communications challenge".

They conclude by stating:

"Our team is drawn from a range of career backgrounds, bringing together political experience, policy development insight, strategic communications, event management, and research skills. The common factors among the team are our commitment to our clients and assurance that we will keep their needs at the top of our agenda".

And finally: "To make ourselves as valuable to our clients as they are to us." ^[38]

One service they provide for their clients is to attend Scottish parliament cross-party group meetings that may affect their clients. For example, the cross-party Food group was attended by two employees, Jenni Wilkie and Ben Bosely Walker, in February of 2005. This may have something to do with Tesco being a client of theirs.

See ^[39]

Another client is Pfizer and therefore it comes as no surprise that Rachel Roberston (see below) is on the Cross Party Group for Diabetes, although she is listed as working for GPC, rather than Fleishman-Hillard.

An employee of GPC, Ben Collins is also listed as being a member of the Oil group, with still no update ackowledging the change of name and ownership to Fleishman-Hillard. While finally Jenni Wilkie is listed as being a member of the Tackling Debt group, but yet again as being an employee of GPC and not of Fleishman Hillard.

Europe operation

People

Nickolas Reinhardt - Chair International Financial and Regulatory Affairs. He is regarded as one of the best European financial services sector lobbyists. Clients include London Mayor Boris Johnson and former UK City Minister Paul Myners^[40]

Specific lobbying campaigns

Education industry

Fleishman-Hillard provides PR and lobbying services to clients in the education industry. It claims to understand the 'staggering range of challenges' facing education institutions today, such as 'dramatic shifts' and changing public perceptions. Services offered to its education sector clients include strategic communications (to support, for example, fundraising, or alumni membership growth); digital grassroots campaigning( to build community engagement and support); and crisis response programmes.^[41]

Fleishman-Hillard's education sector lobbying clients include:

In the EU: Pearson; Apple; McGraw-Hill
In the UK: Omidyar Network; the Network is an investor in Bridge International Academies

Nuclear

Fleishman-Hillard has for several years handled the bulk of Nirex’s (Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive) monitoring service. One service the PR company provides is to attend Scottish parliament cross-party group meetings that may affect their clients. One of the PR company’s Scottish employees, Rachel Robertson, used to be on the Cross Party Group on the Civil Nuclear Industry. She attended these meetings listed as being from Nirex, and not as an employee from Fleishman-Hillard. Robertson has since been replaced by Ian Price who was also listed as being from Nirex. Coincidentally there was also an Ian Price listed as working at Fleishman-Hillard's Edinburgh office.^[42]

Biotech

In 2003, it was reported that “Fleishman-Hillard has been getting more and more deeply involved in the biotechnology sector, helping the Biotechnology Industry Organisation and the Council of Biotechnology Information communicate the benefits of the technology to consumers and opinion leaders.” In April 2006, US biotechnology firm Genzyme appointed Fleishman-Hillard to boost its profile among British policymakers and lobby the UK Government to commit more funding to biotech.^[43];^[44]

Turkey

On 10 October 2007, the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs passed Resolution 106, which accuses the Turkish rulers in 1915 of genocide. There was an intensive on behalf of the Turkish government to sway the committee, described by Ali H. Aslan as follows:

Both the Turkish and the US governments strongly opposed the resolution and were joined by DLA Piper, the Livingstone Group, public relations company Fleishman-Hillard and other companies that officially conducted lobbying activities on behalf of Turkey as well as by big corporations that have sizable commercial deals with Turkey such as Boeing and BP.^[45]

ID cards

In June 2005, Kevin Bell from the UK arm of Fleishman-Hillard spoke at a one-day conference in London called ID Cards: Towards Procurement and Implementation. The title of his talk was "Achieving public acceptance".^[46]

Controversy in the US

In May 2006, two senior Fleishman-Hillard executives Doug Dowie and John Stodder were found guilty in a fraud trial that had gripped the US PR industry for two years. The jury found Dowie guilty on 14 counts of 'wire fraud' and one count of conspiracy - in a scheme to overbill city tax-payers for PR services. Stodder, the agency's one-time SV-P of PA, was convicted on 11 counts of wire fraud and one on conspiracy. The two had been charged with conspiracy and wire fraud in an alleged 2003 scam to defraud the Department of Water and Power out of more than dollars 300,000.^[47]

Private healthcare lobbying

Lobbying clients of Fleishman-Hillard from the private healthcare sector in 2010 include: Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, American Pharmaceutical Group, Aviva Health UK, Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and Serco.^[48]

Contacts

UK 40 Long Acre, London, WC2E 9LG
http://www.fleishman-hillard.co.uk

Global website
http://www.fleishman.com

External Links

Notes

↑ Arun Sudhaman, 'John Saunders Succeeds Dave Senay As FleishmanHillard CEO', Holmes Report, accessed 5 November 2015
↑ Kevin Maguire, 'US corporates prepare for Brown's rise, Marr upsets Howard, and Patricia Hewitt in trouble', New Statesman, 18 April, 2005.
↑ John Harrington, 'Fleishman-Hillard and Fishburn merge UK operations',www.PRweek.com, accessed 2 November 2015
↑ Linkedin Jim Donaldson, accessed 10 June 2015.
↑ Fleishman-Hillard nets ex-Home Secretary aide, PR Week UK, 22 August 2007
↑ PR Week, 17 June, 2008.
↑ Nick Williams, Treasury official joins Fleishman-Hillard PACorp Fleishman-Hillard London website, 7 October 2011
↑ Sarah Jenkins, Director, Public Affairs (EMEA) at CPP Investment Board, LinkedIn profile, undated, acc 10 October 2014
↑ Stephen Race Linkedin, accessed 13 October 2014
↑ East Devon General Election Results 2015, BBC.co.uk, accessed 23 February 2016
↑ Anna Reynolds Red Consultancy hires Nick Edell from H+K Strategies while Steph Bailey pops up at Fleishman PR Week, 30 April 2015, accessed 30 April 2015.
↑ Fleishman-Hillard client list Sep-Nov15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016
↑ Fleishman-Hillard staff list Jun-Aug15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016
↑ Fleishman-Hillard staff list Mar-May15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016
↑ Fleishman-Hillard staff list Dec14-Feb15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016
↑ ^16.0 ^16.1 Register 1st September 2014 - 30th November 2014 APPC, accessed 20 January 2015
↑ ^17.0 ^17.1 Register 1st June 2014 - 31st August 2014 APPC, accessed 16 October 2014
↑ ^18.0 ^18.1 Register for 1st March 2014 - 31st May 2014 APPC, accessed September 2014
↑ ^19.0 ^19.1 Register for 1st December 2013 - 28th February 2014 APPC, accessed 13 October 2014
↑ ^20.0 ^20.1 Register for 1st September 2013 - 30th November 2013 APPC, accessed 13 October 2014
↑ ^21.0 ^21.1 Register for 1st June 2013 - 31st August 2013 APPC, accessed 13 October 2014
↑ ^22.0 ^22.1 Register for 1st March 2013 - 31st May 2013 APPC, accessed 13 October 2014
↑ ^23.0 ^23.1 Register for 1st December 2012 - 28th February 2013 APPC, accessed 13 October 2014
↑ F-H website, accessed February, 2009
↑ Kevin Bell quits Bell Pottinger to join GPC, PR Week UK, 7 July, 2000
↑ Sophie Pim Linkedin, accessed 13 October 2014
↑ Sally Dawson, Cameron aide joins Fleishman-Hillard, Public Affairs News, February, 2007.
↑ Alex Bigg,LinkedIn acc November 2011
↑ Henry Featherstone Linkedin, accessed 13 October 2014
↑ Fleishman-Hillard profile 2016, Registrar of consultant lobbyists, accessed 28 April 2016
↑ Fleishman-Hillard profile 2015, Registrar of consultant lobbyists, accessed 5 February 2016
↑ Fleishman-Hillard client list Sep-Nov15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016
↑ Fleishman-Hillard client list Jun-Aug15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016
↑ Fleishman-Hillard client list Mar-May15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016
↑ Fleishman-Hillard client list Dec14-Feb15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016
↑ [appc.org.uk APPC register], to November 2011
↑ [appc.org.uk APPC register], to November 2008
↑ 'Fleishman-Hillard's Global Communications Network Delivers Targeted Reach', Fleishman-Hillard website
↑ APPC website
↑ Some of the top banking industry lobbyists, Financial News, 08 Feb 2010
↑ Education sector expertise, Fleishman-Hillard website, accessed August 2015
↑ Sourcewatch
↑ Holmes Report
↑ PR Week, “F-H Wins UK Job for Biotech Genzyme”, 14 April, 2006, p. 7.
↑ Ali H. Aslan, How did last-minute hopes turn into disappointment?, Zaman, 10 October, 2007.
↑ Intellect Technology Association website
↑ Randi Schmelzer, Former F-H Executives Found Guilty Of Fraud In US, PR Week, 26 May, 2006, p. 2.
↑ APPC register to 2010

Resources

For further information, see relevant SourceWatch page Fleishman-Hillard

[1] Arun Sudhaman, 'John Saunders Succeeds Dave Senay As FleishmanHillard CEO', Holmes Report, accessed 5 November 2015

[2] Kevin Maguire, 'US corporates prepare for Brown's rise, Marr upsets Howard, and Patricia Hewitt in trouble', New Statesman, 18 April, 2005.

[3] John Harrington, 'Fleishman-Hillard and Fishburn merge UK operations',www.PRweek.com, accessed 2 November 2015

[4] Linkedin Jim Donaldson, accessed 10 June 2015.

[5] Fleishman-Hillard nets ex-Home Secretary aide, PR Week UK, 22 August 2007

[6] PR Week, 17 June, 2008.

[7] Nick Williams, Treasury official joins Fleishman-Hillard PACorp Fleishman-Hillard London website, 7 October 2011

[8] Sarah Jenkins, Director, Public Affairs (EMEA) at CPP Investment Board, LinkedIn profile, undated, acc 10 October 2014

[9] Stephen Race Linkedin, accessed 13 October 2014

[10] East Devon General Election Results 2015, BBC.co.uk, accessed 23 February 2016

[11] Anna Reynolds Red Consultancy hires Nick Edell from H+K Strategies while Steph Bailey pops up at Fleishman PR Week, 30 April 2015, accessed 30 April 2015.

[12] Fleishman-Hillard client list Sep-Nov15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016

[13] Fleishman-Hillard staff list Jun-Aug15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016

[14] Fleishman-Hillard staff list Mar-May15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016

[15] Fleishman-Hillard staff list Dec14-Feb15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016

[sept14-16] 16.0 ^16.1 Register 1st September 2014 - 30th November 2014 APPC, accessed 20 January 2015

[June-17] 17.0 ^17.1 Register 1st June 2014 - 31st August 2014 APPC, accessed 16 October 2014

[MP-18] 18.0 ^18.1 Register for 1st March 2014 - 31st May 2014 APPC, accessed September 2014

[MQ-19] 19.0 ^19.1 Register for 1st December 2013 - 28th February 2014 APPC, accessed 13 October 2014

[MR-20] 20.0 ^20.1 Register for 1st September 2013 - 30th November 2013 APPC, accessed 13 October 2014

[MS-21] 21.0 ^21.1 Register for 1st June 2013 - 31st August 2013 APPC, accessed 13 October 2014

[MT-22] 22.0 ^22.1 Register for 1st March 2013 - 31st May 2013 APPC, accessed 13 October 2014

[MU-23] 23.0 ^23.1 Register for 1st December 2012 - 28th February 2013 APPC, accessed 13 October 2014

[24] F-H website, accessed February, 2009

[25] Kevin Bell quits Bell Pottinger to join GPC, PR Week UK, 7 July, 2000

[26] Sophie Pim Linkedin, accessed 13 October 2014

[27] Sally Dawson, Cameron aide joins Fleishman-Hillard, Public Affairs News, February, 2007.

[28] Alex Bigg,LinkedIn acc November 2011

[29] Henry Featherstone Linkedin, accessed 13 October 2014

[30] Fleishman-Hillard profile 2016, Registrar of consultant lobbyists, accessed 28 April 2016

[31] Fleishman-Hillard profile 2015, Registrar of consultant lobbyists, accessed 5 February 2016

[32] Fleishman-Hillard client list Sep-Nov15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016

[33] Fleishman-Hillard client list Jun-Aug15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016

[34] Fleishman-Hillard client list Mar-May15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016

[35] Fleishman-Hillard client list Dec14-Feb15, APPC.org, accessed 22 February 2016

[36] [appc.org.uk APPC register], to November 2011

[37] [appc.org.uk APPC register], to November 2008

[38] 'Fleishman-Hillard's Global Communications Network Delivers Targeted Reach', Fleishman-Hillard website

[39] APPC website

[lobbyists-40] Some of the top banking industry lobbyists, Financial News, 08 Feb 2010

[41] Education sector expertise, Fleishman-Hillard website, accessed August 2015

[42] Sourcewatch

[43] Holmes Report

[44] PR Week, “F-H Wins UK Job for Biotech Genzyme”, 14 April, 2006, p. 7.

[45] Ali H. Aslan, How did last-minute hopes turn into disappointment?, Zaman, 10 October, 2007.

[46] Intellect Technology Association website

[47] Randi Schmelzer, Former F-H Executives Found Guilty Of Fraud In US, PR Week, 26 May, 2006, p. 2.

[48] APPC register to 2010

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Fleishman-Hillard

Contents

Global operation

UK operation

People

Revolving door

Others

APPC Register

September 2015-November 2015

June 2015-August 2015

March 2015-May 2015

December 2014-February 2015

September 2014-November 2014

June 2014-August 2014

March 2014-May 2014

December 2013-February 2014

September 2013-November 2013

June 2013-August 2013

March 2013-May 2013

December 2012-February 2013

Former staff

UK lobbying clients

Registrar of consultant lobbyists

January-March 2016

October - December 2015

July - September 2015

April - June 2015

January - March 2015

APPC lobbying register

September 2015-November 2015

June 2015-August 2015

March 2015-May 2015

December 2014-February 2015

September 2014-November 2014

June 2014-August 2014

March 2014-May 2014

December 2013-February 2014

September 2013-November 2013

June 2013-August 2013

March 2013-May 2013

December 2012-February 2013

2011

2008

Scottish operation

Europe operation

People

Specific lobbying campaigns

Education industry

Nuclear

Biotech

Turkey

ID cards

Controversy in the US

Private healthcare lobbying

Contacts

External Links

Notes

Resources

Navigation menu

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