Bahrain hires new US PR support

Posted to the Holmes Report here

The Kingdom of Bahrain has called in fledging public affairs firm Potomac Square Group to handle US public relations as unrest continues to rock the Middle Eastern nation.

Potomac Square Group – a new firm headed by ex-Wall Street Journal journalist Chris Cooper – was appointed in February to provide strategic PR counsel to the Embassy of Bahrain in the US.

Earlier this week, the Holmes Report revealed that Edelman’s US assignment on behalf of Bahrain’s Economic Development Board (EDB) had been suspended.

Edelman Bahrain PR assignment suspended

Posted to the Holmes Report here

Edelman’s PR assignment on behalf of the Kingdom of Bahrain has been suspended, following the violent security crackdown in the Middle Eastern nation.

The Holmes Report understands that the account – which covers US work for Bahrain’s Economic Development Board – was effectively stopped on Friday, after a week in which Bahrain’s turmoil escalated significantly.

Stephen Forshaw exits Microsoft to lead PR at Temasek

Posted to the Holmes Report here

Stephen Forshaw is exiting his role at Microsoft to assume one of Asia’s most high-profile PR positions at Singapore state-owned investment company, Temasek Holdings.

Forshaw leaves Microsoft after two years as Asia-Pacific corporate communications director. At Temasek, he succeeds former MD of corporate affairs Myrna Thomas, who spent almost five years with the powerful investment house before leaving at the end of 2010.

Middle East crisis puts PR firms in the spotlight

Posted to the Holmes Report here

Escalating unrest in several Middle Eastern countries is sparking growing interest in the role PR agencies are playing on behalf of the region’s beleaguered governments.

Facing particular scrutiny is the Government of Bahrain, which has retained Bell Pottinger for the past two years. The agency appears to have expanded its role since first being appointed to promote investment in the country; over the past week, it emerged that Bell Pottinger has helped set up a media centre to help journalists cover protests within the country.

BAE Systems calls UK PR review

Posted to the Holmes Report here

BAE Systems, the defence giant that has been dogged by controversy in recent years, is reviewing its PR account as part of a plan to better demonstrate its value to the UK public.

An RFP document was issued to select agencies last week, detailing a wide-ranging £180,000 retainer that aims to improve public support for the activities of Britain’s biggest defence company. The account is currently handled by Euro RSCG London PR, formerly known as Biss Lancaster.

The big PR trends in 2011

Last month the PRCA, in an apparent moment of madness, invited me to address one of its briefing sessions. I’ve uploaded the resulting presentation below, which discusses five trends that will shape PR this year. The predictions build on the research The Holmes Report carried out as part of its 2010 Global Rankings, which you can find here.

The top 10 PR crises of 2010

Over at the Holmes Report we are running some hefty analysis of the top 10 PR crises of 2010. It was a tough selection whittling this down to 10, but we tried to aim for those that might teach some lasting lessons – whether that meant how corporates should respond to Wikileaks, what Chinese manufacturers should learn from the Foxconn tragedies or how BP’s efforts pre-crisis proved so pivotal to its eventual blunders.

Unsurprisingly this meant few of the high-profile social media crises made the cut – as they turned out to be rather too transient in nature. In addition, we were also able to uncover some interesting information about the PR agencies that were called in to assist beleaguered corporates: Brunswick’s counsel of Toyota, for example, or Burson-Marsteller’s attempts to help Foxconn in China.

Thankfully, we were able to call on a pretty strong cast of commentators from all over the world who helped us shape our thoughts. Please do check it out and let us know what you think.

Kevin Bell quits Fleishman-Hillard

Posted to the Holmes Report here

Kevin Bell is stepping down from his role as regional president of Fleishman-Hillard UK, Africa and the Middle East after 10 years with the agency.

It is understood that the agency is yet to determine whether a successor will be sought for Bell’s position.

For now, the individual MDs heading each of his previous regions will now report directly to F-H global president and CEO Dave Senay. These include Richard Kanareck, who began work as UK MD this month, Elaine McKean (Edinburgh), Annalise Coady (Middle East) and Kevin Welman (Africa).

Singapore selects PR agency for global reputation assignment

Posted to the Holmes Report here

Singapore has selected Baldwin Boyle Shand to oversee a global campaign focused on winning hearts and minds and transcending the stereotypes that still surround the island’s state’s global reputation.

The country’s Ministry of Information, Communication and Arts (MICA) picked the independent firm after a pitch that began in October last year, as revealed by the Holmes Report, and featured several international PR networks. According to the official tender documents, the assignment is worth as much as S$1.5 million (US$1.1 million).

Borkoswki tipped for Wikileaks PR role

Posted to the Holmes Report here

Whistleblowing website Wikileaks is poised to appoint a PR agency to handle the massive media scrutiny that the organisation is attracting.

The Independent believes that Borkowski PR will shortly take up the role. Speaking to the Holmes Report, Mark Borkowski confirmed that he had been approached for a brief that counts as one of the “trickiest” he has ever seen.