Brian MacLaurin

Brian MacLaurin is a former newspaper journalist and national TV broadcaster,[1] and one of the UK’s leading Public Relations operators,[2] widely acknowledged as the man who introduced Sophie Rhys-Jones (now the Countess of Wessex) to Prince Edward.[3][4][5][6]

MacLaurin, a Scot, has advised a variety of high-profile individuals over the last 20 years, ranging from Chris Tarrant, Noel Edmonds, Colin Montgomerie, to members of the Royal Family, and companies such as Chrysalis, Safeway, Global Radio, Northern and Shell, and launching Sony PlayStation.[1][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

Early career

MacLaurin started his career in 1967 as copyboy on the Sunday Express in Glasgow, before joining the Greenock Telegraph. In the early 1970s he joined Scottish Television and later became Industrial correspondent for ATV in the Midlands and a correspondent for ITN. In 1979 he took his first job in PR as Head of Press for Scottish TV, before joining Crown Communications as Communications Director in 1989.[1][14]

MacLaurin

In 1993, MacLaurin launched his eponymous public relations agency – building the MacLaurin brand into a business employing 77 people and turning over nearly £6m a year.[12] Other clients included Emap Elan, The Miller Group, BT Cellnet, and Associated New Media, and launching the Heart Radio stations in London and the Midlands for Chrysalis.[14]

Sophie Rhys Jones and Prince Edward

In July 1993 MacLaurin was organizing a photoshoot between Sue Barker and Prince Edward to publicise a marathon real tennis game Edward was to play for charity. When Barker dropped out at the last minute, MacLaurin took Sophie Rhys-Jones, one of his staff, and introduced her to Prince Edward, after which they began secretly dating.[15]

When Andrew Morton, the author of Diana: Her True Story revealed to Sophie in December 1993 that he knew about her relationship with Prince Edward, MacLaurin handled the subsequent publicity.[16]

Topless pictures

In 1999, The Sun published historical topless pictures of Rhys-Jones with Chris Tarrant weeks before her wedding to Prince Edward. MacLaurin diffused the crisis with an “ingenious plan”[17] which resulted in the Sun Editor David Yelland printing a front page apology to Rhys-Jones and Prince Edward. Yelland later admitted MacLaurin “absolutely took me to the cleaners.”[18]

Cheriegate

In December 2002, Brian MacLaurin and his colleague Ian Monk were tasked with advising Carole Caplin and, through her, Peter Foster around their involvement in the so-called “Cheriegate” affair, when Cherie Blair, wife of then Prime Minister Tony Blair, admitted the fraudster Peter Foster had helped her negotiate the purchase of two flats in Bristol. It created a “media storm”, making front page news in many national newspapers.[19][20]

Richard Desmond

For five years, MacLaurin handled the PR for Richard Desmond, and “masterminded his transformation from vilified porn baron to respectable newspaper proprietor”, shepherding the Northern & Shell boss through some of the most “colourful episodes in recent Fleet Street history,” including the reported episode when Desmond goose-stepped in front of the bosses of the Telegraph.[13][21]

Sale of MacLaurin

In 2001 MacLaurin sold his company to Hatch Group for more than £6m – pocketing around £4m as the 81% owner of the company. In 2003, he wanted to “return to the media coalface” and he founded Brian MacLaurin Associates, when he was asked to advise John Magnier over his high profile spat with Alex Ferguson and whose clients now include Global Radio, Europe’s largest commercial radio group, and Andrey Melnichenko, the Russian billionaire.[9][11][22][23][24]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Profile: Brian MacLaurin, MacLaurin Group – Cranking up the PR power/Brian MacLaurin is no timorous beastie when it comes to PR acquisitions | PR & public relations news | PRWeek. M.prweek.com (3 October 1997). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  2. Has Chris Tarrant finally used up all his lifelines? | Mail Online. Dailymail.co.uk (19 March 2009). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  3. UK | No royal grudge against Kara. BBC News (28 May 1999). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  4. London Journal; Royal Fiancee Is Unveiled. 'Cruelty,' Says Palace. – New York Times. Nytimes.com (27 May 1999). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  5. Deal a milestone for PR maestro | Media | MediaGuardian. Guardian (31 May 2001). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  6. Kennedy, Dominic. (11 December 2002) Cherie remains loyal to ‘trusted friend’. The Times. Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  7. FT.com – Special Reports / Creative Business Archived 22 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine.. Specials.ft.com (22 April 2002). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  8. Evening Standard (London), 21 December 1993, Sophie's boss already has royal role
  9. 1 2 Simon Hart: On the slopes. Telegraph. Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  10. PA stands in as Desmond's spin doctor | Media | MediaGuardian. Guardian (22 August 2005). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  11. 1 2 Global Radio appoints Brian MacLaurin to handle its PR | Media | MediaGuardian. Guardian (16 July 2007). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  12. 1 2 Brian MacLaurin: My Life In Media – Media – News. The Independent (1 August 2005). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  13. 1 2 Desmond's spin doctor moves on after five years | Media | MediaGuardian. Guardian. Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  14. 1 2 The Scotsman, 31 May 2001, p. 5 "New era in PR hatched with £20m deal"
  15. The Sunday Times 20 June 1999 How tennis star served up a Royal love match ‘Fancy dinner at my place?’
  16. Sunday Mail, 7 February 1999, Sunday, How the Scot who made Mr Blobby a King turned Miss Jones into a real Princess.
  17. The Sunday Times, 3 June 1999, Dark day at the Sun. Nicholas Hellen and Margarette Driscoll p.14
  18. PR Week, 18 June 2004, David Yelland, Senior Vice Chairman, WeBBERr Shandwick. Murdoch’s man turns to PR. Ravi Chandiramani p. 21
  19. MEDIA TRAINING: Fly on the wall | PR & public relations news | PRWeek. M.prweek.com (14 March 2003). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  20. Timeline: how 'Cheriegate' unfolded | Media | MediaGuardian. Guardian. Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  21. Desmond taunts Telegraph in 'Nazi' tirade | Media | MediaGuardian. Guardian. Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  22. MacLaurin pair quit PR firm | Media | MediaGuardian. Guardian (27 March 2003). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  23. Welcome to my floating nookie room, says Russian billionaire. The Sunday Times (18 April 2010). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
  24. Magnier’s battle with Ferguson escalates – Brand Republic News. Brandrepublic.com (6 February 2004). Retrieved on 21 May 2013.
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