Finsbury

Finsbury is a major London-based financial PR and lobbying company. It describes itself as providing "an integrated service advising on all areas of communication with the global financial community including financial media, political & regulatory affairs and investor relations." ^[1]

Finsbury's work on EU political & regulatory issues is done via Finsbury International Policy & Regulatory Advisors. Finsbury was founded in London in October 1994 and in 2001 was taken over to become part of the WPP group. Finsbury was 75 percent owned by Roland Rudd, who made £41 million by selling the company. Another two Directors, Rupert Younger and James Murgatroyd shared another £14 million between them from the sale.^[2]

People

Roland Rudd, Finsbury founder | Rupert Younger, nephew of Viscount George Younger (fprmer chairman of the Bank of Scotland) | James Murgatroyd a former banker with Dean Witter | Others at Finsbury include:^[3] Faeth Birch | Rory Chisholm | Rollo Head | James Leviton | | Edward Orlebar | Andrew Merrill | Andrew Mitchel | (PR contacts for Kazakhmys: Robin Walker | Andrew Mitchell | Zoe Watt)

New Labour links

Finsbury paid more than £5,000 to the Labour Party for 'tickets for dinners' in 1999-2000.
The firm previously hired the Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer.
In 2001 Finsbury¹s party guests included the present Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and Education Ministers (and peer) Andrew Adonis, as well as the then Labour party boss, also since ennobled, Lord Triesman.
Finsbury then won the 2002 contract to advise then Transport Secretary Stephen "Liar" Byers over the Railtrack collapse.
In 2006 Tony Blair's eldest son Euan did work experience at Finsbury. Private Eye commented: "So look out for the pay-off... most likely to come for such a selfless act as explaining to Blair the Younger the dark arts of being paid to lie..."^[4]

Clients

Finsbury claims to count more than 20 FTSE 100 and Eurofirst 300 companies as clients.^[5]

Shell. PR Week reports that for several years Shell had - and continued to - use the London-based Finsbury to handle financial PR for the company and was also advising on managing the crisis on the overstated reserves. ^[6]
BNFL. The company is also retained by British Nuclear Fuels Limited. (BNFL)^[7].

Lobbying clients

Lobbying clients in 2009, according to the Finsbury website include:^[8]

Bluechip & International / Euro 300 / FTSE 100 / FTSE 250

Selected Transactions

Resources

Mark Townsend and Antony Barnett PR firm hired to sell top-up fees Labour rebels outraged at 'abuse' of taxpayers' money as university vice-chancellors acquire services of Mandelson's millionaire friend, Sunday January 18, 2004, The Observer
Antony Barnett and Jamie Doward The PR tycoon, a private dinner and PM's meeting with Euro lobby group Businessmen lobbying for unlimited immigration from Romania and Bulgaria met the Prime Minister at an exclusive London home, Sunday September 17, 2006, The Observer

References

↑ Finsbury website
↑ ref needed
↑ Finsbury Contact Us
↑ Blair the Younger does work experience with City spin doctors Private Eye, February 6, 2006, Issue 1150
↑ WPP webiste, Finsbury, accessed Feb 2009
↑ PR Week, May 2004
↑ Corporate Watch
↑ Finsbury website, accessed February 2009
↑ Finsbury website, accessed February 2009

[1] Finsbury website

[2] ref needed

[3] Finsbury Contact Us

[4] Blair the Younger does work experience with City spin doctors Private Eye, February 6, 2006, Issue 1150

[5] WPP webiste, Finsbury, accessed Feb 2009

[6] PR Week, May 2004

[7] Corporate Watch

[8] Finsbury website, accessed February 2009

[9] Finsbury website, accessed February 2009

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Finsbury

Contents

People

New Labour links

Clients

Lobbying clients

Bluechip & International / Euro 300 / FTSE 100 / FTSE 250

Selected Transactions

Resources

References

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