Roland Rudd, The PR Legend Advocating For Britain To Remain In The EU
It seems quite possible that Roland Dacre Rudd was scientifically engineered to be the perfect British PR man.
A reputation for wit under pressure, Roland Rudd is the Founder and CEO of Finsbury, a PR firm based in the U.K. – he remains the chairman. He sold the company in 2001 to WPP, one of the largest conglomerates in the world for an estimated £40 million.
These and many other successes might explain why when he points out exactly how the EU has benefitted businesses, top CEO’s and influential politicians listen to every word he says – and he is at the center of the advocacy organization, Britain Stronger in Europe, which was launched on Monday by its chairman Lord Rose, the former chief executive of Marks & Spencer. This organization advocates to media that it is “patriotic” to wish to remain in the EU.
To better understand Rudd’s views on how European Union membership is a benefit, it’s important to understand why he is so influential amongst media moguls and other titans of industry. As an expert in PR, he has gained exposure for his clients to millions of viewers through media coverage and daily shows – all within the span of 30 minutes.
Prior to forming his PR company he worked in politics, including working on the Gary Hart presidential campaign in the U.S. He also worked as a financial journalist for both the Financial Times and the Sunday Correspondent.
No matter what his view, he delivers his message with single-minded ferocity.
His comments are well-researched, building on a long track record of success. Roland works in global financial communications, he’s chairman of Business for New Europe—supporting the U.K.’s standing membership in the European Union, and advocating for the U.K. His organization—Legacy 10— encourages others to provide a tenth of their estates to charities.
As a youth, Mr. Rudd fostered aspirations of becoming Prime Minister. The first lessons of money and trade experienced as a child of a stockbroker brought relevance to the British world of commerce driving his enthusiasm and passion. His politics tend to be more on the liberal left, though one of his sisters, Amber, is the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change while serving as a Conservative member of Parliament.
Roland Dacre Rudd began as a policy coordinator for the Social Democratic Party, went to be a financial journalist for the Financial Times until he and partner Rupert Younger founded RLM Finsbury. His company employed Euan Blair, Tony Blair’s son, as an intern, and Rudd was reportedly one of the main men who Blair sought advice from when deciding it was time to stand down as Prime Minister.
He is now determined to excel and secure his place in PR history, and what better way to do that than by securing the UK’s economic future? Which is why Roland Rudd has been seen everywhere, appearing on Bloomberg, BBC as well as writing articles.
Roland claims it’s a fact that the single market has worked well for the EU.
In a survey by Clifford Chance, “Business and EU regulation”, 62 percent of businesses said the single market supported their commercial aspirations. Small wonder, as of 2014 the EU has the largest economy in the world, and their GDP is estimated to grow to $19 trillion this year. The reasons for success are simple – more trade is great for any economy and uniform rules and regulations make trade between EU members simple and profitable for everyone involved. Without membership, trade can still continue, but can be difficult in countries where the standards and rules are not fair to both parties. Greater trust and reliability encourages trade – it’s really that simple.
Given the situation, a “Brexit” from the EU would understandably have a negative impact not only on the economy but also on the military and cultural connections the EU affords. A drop in the stock markets would be certain, but how drastic the drop could be is uncertain, as well as how bad the resulting recession might be are important concerns. About 3 million jobs depend on EU membership, roughly 10% of the UK workforce – many employed in PR.
No matter which way this decision goes, it is rather clear that Roland Rudd shall be known as one of the most successful European public relations professionals who ever lived.
