PR News from MWW PR, APCO Shanghai & Bell Pottinger
Newgate Communications Nabs Lobbyist from MWWPR
Simon Gentry, a director at MWW PR has joined Newgate Communications as a partner. Newgate is based in the U.K and is owned by Porta Communications. Gentry has been with MWW since 2014, and previously was at Westminster Strategy, a renowned lobbying group in England. It is believed that many of Gentry’s clients at MWW are following him to his new position, including the ATM Industry Association and StubHub. According to London media, the raid on MWWPR by Newgate didn’t stop with Gentry.They also took Daniel Coston, apparently leaving MWW’s London office without leadership.
Bell Pottinger Shifts Musician and Actress on Staff to Creative Division
Bell Pottinger recently moved Leila Mountford (South African soap opera star) and Emma Ballantyne Dykes (singer/songwriter) to become the senior creative team with just the two of them. Mountford came to BP about a year ago from Weber Shandwick and before that she was on the soap opera for two and a half years. Ballantyne Dykes (performs as Emma Ballantyne) has been at BP since 2009 working part-time while she’s continued to perform. Earlier in the year, she was named on Glamour Magazine’s One to Watch in 2016 list after performing at Glastonbury.
The team was established earlier in September, and both will hold the title of senior consultant, reporting to Victoria Naylor-Leyland, head of TV, film, and video content.
Saudi Arabian Government Add Two more PR Firms to Their Roster
Two lobby firms have just been hired by the Saudi Arabian government to help them in a fight against legislation allowing victims to file lawsuits for the 9/11 terrorist attacks against their country. Squire Patton Boggs and Glover Park Group, both with offices in DC, filed the necessary federal paperwork. But the specifics of what the two firms will do for the Saudis is not mentioned. But Squire’s team includes former Senators Trent Lott (Rep from Miss) and John Breaux (Dem from Louisiana), and will be led by Ed Newberry, their Global Managing Partner.
President Obama vetoed the bill last week, but the House and Senate seem prepared to reverse his decision. Of the 19 hijackers involved in the 9/11 attacks, 15 came from Saudi Arabia, and many believe the government there was involved to some extent with the attack. Seven other firms work for the Saudis including Podesta Group, and MSLGroup.
James Robinson Becomes APCO Shanghai’s New Managing Director
The Shanghai office of APCO Worldwide will now be led by James Robinson, a former Sr. VP and senior director at their New York office for more than 10 years working with accounts like the Clinton Global Initiative, PepsiCo, and Microsoft. He’s been working at APCO since 2001, starting as an associate director in their Beijing office.
Robinson will be in charge of a staff of 25 in Shanghai counseling and supporting their clients in the region.
