pr firm bell pottinger seeks rescue after south africa scandal
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

PR firm Bell Pottinger seeks rescue after South Africa scandal

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchroniclePR firm Bell Pottinger seeks rescue after South Africa scandal

British public relations firm Bell Pottinger was accused of orchestrating a racially-charged campaign
London - AFP

British public relations firm Bell Pottinger, accused of stirring racial tension in South Africa, faces administration to save it from collapse, a company source said Friday.

"We may well be in administration by Monday," the source told AFP, in reference to the process whereby a troubled firm calls upon independent expert financial help in a bid to remain operational.

In a chaotic week, major clients including banking giant HSBC and telecommunications group TalkTalk have axed ties with Bell Pottinger after it was accused of orchestrating a racially-charged campaign on behalf of the controversial Gupta family in South Africa.

Other fleeing customers include construction company Carillion, financial services firm Investec and luxury goods maker Richemont, according to media reports.

Britain's Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) trade body expelled Bell Pottinger on Tuesday over a campaign deemed "likely to inflame racial discord".

- 'White monopoly capital' -

"White monopoly capital" was one of the slogans Bell Pottinger used on behalf of Oakbay Capital, an investment holding company run by the Indian Gupta family.

The Twitter hashtag #whitemonopolycapital is used by supporters of South Africa's ruling Zuma family, which has controversial ties to the Guptas, to discredit opponents.

The British PR giant deliberately created a narrative of "economic apartheid" to defend the Guptas, according to an independent report, which was conducted by law firm Herbert Smith Freehills and published on Monday.

By Thursday, Bell Pottinger chairman Mark Smith told a staff meeting at the PR firm's headquarters in Holborn, central London, that it was likely to go into administration.

Accountancy firm BDO has been hired to look at options including a possible sale.

Various media reported that Bell Pottinger's Asian division will separate from its parent group and rebrand under the name Klareco Communications.

The group's second biggest shareholder, advertising firm Chime, has meanwhile written off its investment and handed back its 27-percent stake.

Nevertheless, Bell Pottinger is still "considering all the options", according to an official spokesman.

The group has pledged to introduce a more formal review of client work to help "identify high-risk clients and high-risk mandates", as well as redeveloping its corporate policies, including for social media, and establishing a new ethics committee.

- 'Fall from grace' -

Bell Pottinger was created in 1987 by Tim Bell, one of Margaret Thatcher's foremost PR advisers, and is well known in the UK for its links to the world of politics and business.

British peers were informed on Thursday that the government has no power to remove the firm from its register of lobbyists.

Speaking in the House of Lords, Conservative Party frontbencher Lord Young said that while the company had acted "unprofessionally and unethically" in South Africa, the only way it could be struck off was if it ceased its public relations business.

He also said that the scandal has had "a very damaging impact" on the Britain's reputation in South Africa.

AFP's source said Friday that they were still "hopeful" about the company's situation, adding that the international response to the scandal in their view had been "out of proportion".

source: AFP

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

pr firm bell pottinger seeks rescue after south africa scandal pr firm bell pottinger seeks rescue after south africa scandal

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 08:32 2011 Monday ,25 July

Sabri accuses Yusri in Souad Hosni’s murder

GMT 12:07 2014 Monday ,03 February

Home design ideas

GMT 11:20 2017 Thursday ,02 March

Mexico central bank cuts growth outlook over Trump

GMT 08:31 2017 Tuesday ,28 November

Bangladesh upholds death sentence for 139 soldiers

GMT 14:33 2017 Thursday ,20 April

US defense secretary vows support for Egypt's Sisi

GMT 16:12 2017 Wednesday ,20 December

Myanmar bars UN rights investigator just before visit

GMT 08:21 2017 Wednesday ,30 August

United Technologies near deal to buy Rockwell Collins

GMT 18:27 2017 Friday ,21 April

ARCO condemns targeting of ERC convoy in Somalia

GMT 07:23 2017 Tuesday ,21 November

perched in Jerusalem's hills may soon vanish

GMT 19:33 2017 Tuesday ,10 October

US scientists engineer corn to boost protein

GMT 08:43 2017 Monday ,04 December

Brexit deal 'difficult but doable': diplomats

GMT 11:24 2017 Friday ,03 March

Lego honors 'Women of NASA'

GMT 11:35 2017 Tuesday ,05 December

Bahrain's top Shiite cleric hospitalised

GMT 21:39 2017 Saturday ,30 September

Abdel Karim praises Egypt’s role

GMT 10:11 2017 Tuesday ,12 December

Latest Grateful Dead resurrection -- a duo

GMT 15:43 2017 Monday ,04 December

Yemen's Huthi rebels claim ex-president Saleh killed

GMT 15:59 2017 Thursday ,30 November

Bahrain Bourse daily trading performance
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle