Chelgate
Encyclopedia
Chelgate Limited is an independent and international public relations
and public affairs
consultancy. Founded by Terence Fane-Saunders in 1988, the firm has its headquarters in London
with offices in Brussels
, Belgium
, and Bucharest
, Romania
, and a network of associates across the world.
Terence Fane-Saunders is noted as being one of the world’s leading international public relations professionals. Before founding Chelgate he was chairman and chief executive of Burson-Marsteller in the UK, and before that, Executive Vice President, International and a member of the world board of Hill & Knowlton Inc, based in New York
. Previously, he worked extensively in the Far East, based in Hong Kong
, and was responsible for the establishment of the first public relations consultancy in the People’s Republic of China.
Although operating as a “full service” PR consultancy providing the normal range of services, Chelgate is recognised for its particular expertise in issues and crisis management
. The firm keeps a low profile and its client list remains confidential. However it is a matter of record that Chelgate assisted Shell Oil Company
with its Brent Spa and Nigeria (Ken Saro-Wiwa) issues, and Mitsubishi Corporation
with environmental issues, including deforestation
. The firm also ran a high profile global campaign against Zimbabwe
dictator Robert Mugabe
(“Save Zimbabwe
”) resulting in significant hardening of international opinion against that regime. It was also unusually visible during the negotiations between the Duke of Sutherland
and the National Galleries of Scotland
over the £100 million sale of two Titian
s on loan to the Galleries, with Terence Fane-Saunders acting as spokesman for the Duke. Since 2008 Chelgate has worked with the leading insurer Hiscox
to provide crisis containment and communications support to management liability and other groups of policyholders in any claim or the likelihood of an insured event with a risk to reputation.
Chelgate is also known to be very active in environment-related PR. Deputy chairman Nick Wood-Dow, who heads the firm’s environment division, is also founder of the Tory Green Initiative, and deputy chair of The Environment Council.
Other areas include education, property, construction, energy and utilities, gambling, broadcasting, art and culture, technology, transport, planning and professional services, whilst a political relations unit provides specialist public affairs services.
Chelgate opened an office in Bucharest
, Romania
, in 2006, and was one of only a handful of Western public relations firms operating in the country when it became a member of the EU in 2007. Chelgate’s first public relations contract was handling communications for the European Commission
in the run-up to accession
, and Romania’s early years as a member state.
Chelgate has operated a Brussels
office since 1994, specifically for work covering the European Commission
and European Parliament
.
campaign promoted democracy in the country, and was orchestrated by Chelgate from London
and South Africa
. Although there is now some power sharing, the country still remains under the rule of President Robert Mugabe
, as it has done for the past three decades.
. Chelgate assisted in the promotion and media handling surrounding the controversial design and construction of the memorial.
, and led by Cisco Systems
, Sun Microsystems
, ICL
Fujitsu
and The Daily Telegraph
, the year-long initiative (1997) signed up some 10,000 schools. Chelgate was the public relations project director, leading a team of six public relations agencies and consultancies across the UK. The launch of the initiative involved the second webcast ever in the UK, and included a joint launch (linked by satellite) in London
, Glasgow
, Belfast
and Cardiff
, together with simultaneous events in 23 schools around the country.
was a major undertaking and involved the pedestrianisation of the northern side of the square, diverting traffic around to the south. Chelgate handled the community relations for the project team, and also the launch event for the Greater London Authority
with mayor Ken Livingston and architect Lord Foster. Chelgate’s efforts won it an award for community relations in the 2004 Construction Marketing Awards.
throughout the deregulation of the commercial and domestic gas supply markets in the UK during the 1990s, the only time the firm has had to manage the reputational consequences of a client deliberately losing a significant share of its market. Chelgate also promoted the use of gas as a road fuel and was instrumental in securing a reduction in taxes for road fuel gases, a differential still in existence today.
, Luton
, West Yorkshire
, Glasgow
and South Wales
), later assisting with further bids in Northern Ireland. CableTel subsequently adopted its parent company name, NTL when it acquired numerous existing licences around the UK, becoming the UK’s only cable provider, now rebranded as Virgin Media
.
and the British Chambers of Commerce
, and supported by BT
, Transport for London
, Scope
and the RAC Foundation
. Chelgate was instrumental in conceiving the initiative in 2005, and with its implementation thereafter.
in communities across England, and has had a number of articles on the subject published (see links below). Its internet platform for community consultation was shortlisted in the Sustain Magazine Awards in 2011.
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
and public affairs
Public affairs
Public affairs may refer to:* Public administration* Public affairs * Public affairs * PublicAffairs, a USA publishing company* Public Affairs , a Czech political party...
consultancy. Founded by Terence Fane-Saunders in 1988, the firm has its headquarters in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with offices in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, and a network of associates across the world.
Terence Fane-Saunders is noted as being one of the world’s leading international public relations professionals. Before founding Chelgate he was chairman and chief executive of Burson-Marsteller in the UK, and before that, Executive Vice President, International and a member of the world board of Hill & Knowlton Inc, based in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Previously, he worked extensively in the Far East, based in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and was responsible for the establishment of the first public relations consultancy in the People’s Republic of China.
Although operating as a “full service” PR consultancy providing the normal range of services, Chelgate is recognised for its particular expertise in issues and crisis management
Crisis management
Crisis management is the process by which an organization deals with a major event that threatens to harm the organization, its stakeholders, or the general public. The study of crisis management originated with the large scale industrial and environmental disasters in the 1980's.Shrivastava, P....
. The firm keeps a low profile and its client list remains confidential. However it is a matter of record that Chelgate assisted Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...
with its Brent Spa and Nigeria (Ken Saro-Wiwa) issues, and Mitsubishi Corporation
Mitsubishi Corporation
is Japan's largest trading company , a member of the Mitsubishi keiretsu. Mitsubishi Corporation employs over 50,000 people and has seven business segments including finance, banking, energy, machinery, chemicals, food and more....
with environmental issues, including deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
. The firm also ran a high profile global campaign against Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
dictator Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
(“Save Zimbabwe
Save Zimbabwe
Save Zimbabwe is a broad coalition of organizations spearheaded by the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance . Members include the Movement for Democratic Change and other opposition parties, church groups, civil rights groups and trade unions....
”) resulting in significant hardening of international opinion against that regime. It was also unusually visible during the negotiations between the Duke of Sutherland
Duke of Sutherland
Duke of Sutherland, derived from Sutherland in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom held by the head of the Leveson-Gower family. It was created by William IV in 1833 for George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of Stafford...
and the National Galleries of Scotland
National Galleries of Scotland
The National Galleries of Scotland are the five national galleries of Scotland and two partner galleries. It is one of the country's National Collections.-List of national galleries:* The National Gallery of Scotland* The Royal Scottish Academy Building...
over the £100 million sale of two Titian
Titian
Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490 – 27 August 1576 better known as Titian was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near...
s on loan to the Galleries, with Terence Fane-Saunders acting as spokesman for the Duke. Since 2008 Chelgate has worked with the leading insurer Hiscox
Hiscox
Hiscox Ltd. is a Bermuda-incorporated insurance provider, listed on the London Stock Exchange. An underwriter at Lloyd's of London, the company largely specialises in niche areas of the market, offering property and casualty insurance aimed at companies and high net worth individuals, as well as...
to provide crisis containment and communications support to management liability and other groups of policyholders in any claim or the likelihood of an insured event with a risk to reputation.
Chelgate is also known to be very active in environment-related PR. Deputy chairman Nick Wood-Dow, who heads the firm’s environment division, is also founder of the Tory Green Initiative, and deputy chair of The Environment Council.
Other areas include education, property, construction, energy and utilities, gambling, broadcasting, art and culture, technology, transport, planning and professional services, whilst a political relations unit provides specialist public affairs services.
Chelgate opened an office in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, in 2006, and was one of only a handful of Western public relations firms operating in the country when it became a member of the EU in 2007. Chelgate’s first public relations contract was handling communications for the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
in the run-up to accession
Enlargement of the European Union
The Enlargement of the European Union is the process of expanding the European Union through the accession of new member states. This process began with the Inner Six, who founded the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952...
, and Romania’s early years as a member state.
Chelgate has operated a Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
office since 1994, specifically for work covering the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
and European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
Zimbabwe
The Save ZimbabweSave Zimbabwe
Save Zimbabwe is a broad coalition of organizations spearheaded by the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance . Members include the Movement for Democratic Change and other opposition parties, church groups, civil rights groups and trade unions....
campaign promoted democracy in the country, and was orchestrated by Chelgate from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Although there is now some power sharing, the country still remains under the rule of President Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
, as it has done for the past three decades.
Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial
The design and development of the national memorial to Princess Diana involved the Daily Mirror, the Treasury, the Department for Culture Media and Sport, and the Royal Parks of LondonRoyal Parks of London
The Royal Parks of London are lands originally owned by the monarchy of the United Kingdom for the recreation of the royal family...
. Chelgate assisted in the promotion and media handling surrounding the controversial design and construction of the memorial.
Education and the internet
In 1996, an industry-led initiative was launched to encourage schools to use the internet for education purposes. Backed by then Prime Minister Tony BlairTony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, and led by Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
, Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
, ICL
ICL
-Companies and organizations:* ICL, the ICAO airline code for CAL Cargo Air Lines* International Computers Limited, a British computer hardware and services company, now known as Fujitsu Services...
Fujitsu
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
and The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, the year-long initiative (1997) signed up some 10,000 schools. Chelgate was the public relations project director, leading a team of six public relations agencies and consultancies across the UK. The launch of the initiative involved the second webcast ever in the UK, and included a joint launch (linked by satellite) in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, together with simultaneous events in 23 schools around the country.
Trafalgar Square, London
The remodelling of Trafalgar SquareTrafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
was a major undertaking and involved the pedestrianisation of the northern side of the square, diverting traffic around to the south. Chelgate handled the community relations for the project team, and also the launch event for the Greater London Authority
Greater London Authority
The Greater London Authority is the top-tier administrative body for Greater London, England. It consists of a directly elected executive Mayor of London, currently Boris Johnson, and an elected 25-member London Assembly with scrutiny powers...
with mayor Ken Livingston and architect Lord Foster. Chelgate’s efforts won it an award for community relations in the 2004 Construction Marketing Awards.
Gas market deregulation
Chelgate worked for British GasBritish Gas
British Gas is the name of several companies:* British Gas plc, the former gas monopoly in the United Kingdom and its successor companies** Centrica, which has the rights to the British Gas name in the UK...
throughout the deregulation of the commercial and domestic gas supply markets in the UK during the 1990s, the only time the firm has had to manage the reputational consequences of a client deliberately losing a significant share of its market. Chelgate also promoted the use of gas as a road fuel and was instrumental in securing a reduction in taxes for road fuel gases, a differential still in existence today.
Cable television
Chelgate worked with CableTel when it first came to the UK and bid for its initial licences (SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
), later assisting with further bids in Northern Ireland. CableTel subsequently adopted its parent company name, NTL when it acquired numerous existing licences around the UK, becoming the UK’s only cable provider, now rebranded as Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
.
Examination boards
The early 1990s saw the deregulation of the examination boards, with a level of consolidation in the market. Chelgate worked with the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations, creating a new brand in the industry, OCR. Over the following years the firm was involved in numerous acute issues – “falling standards”, lost/late papers, and marking inconsistencies.Technology
The evolution of eCommerce and the eEconomy has been rapid. Working with InterForum, the industry body to promote electronic business, Chelgate has assisted with various technologies including electronic signatures, cashless transactions, business orchestration, business process management, and open source software, both in the UK and across the EU.Working practices
A distinct benefit of the progression of technology is the adoption of smarter working practices such as working from home, working remotely, working while on the move, and flexible working. Work Wise UK was an initiative to promote smarter working practices in the UK, and was backed by the TUC, CBICBI
- Places and installations :* Cape Breton Island, part of Nova Scotia, Canada* Center for Biomedical Imaging, a research facility of Boston University Medical Center* Central Bukidnon Institute, a secondary school in the Philippines...
and the British Chambers of Commerce
British Chambers of Commerce
The British Chambers of Commerce is the national body for a powerful and influential network of 52 accredited Chambers of Commerce across the UK, representing 92,000 businesses that together employ 4,800,000 employees...
, and supported by BT
BT
BT may stand for:* Baal teshuva, a Jew who became Orthodox * Babylonian Talmud, a central text in Judaism* Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterium which forms Bt toxins...
, Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
, Scope
Scope
The word scope may refer to many different devices or viewing instruments, constructed for many different purposes. It may refer to a telescopic sight, an optical device commonly used on firearms. Other uses of scope or Scopes may refer to:...
and the RAC Foundation
RAC Foundation
The RAC Foundation is a motoring advocacy group that 'explores the economic, environmental, mobility and safety issues relating to roads and motor vehicles and campaigns to secure a fair deal for responsible road users'...
. Chelgate was instrumental in conceiving the initiative in 2005, and with its implementation thereafter.
Town planning
Chelgate has been one of the leaders in communications surrounding planning applications for over two decades. The firm is one of the foremost experts on the implementation of localismLocalism (politics)
Localism describes a range of political philosophies which prioritize the local. Generally, localism supports local production and consumption of goods, local control of government, and promotion of local history, local culture and local identity...
in communities across England, and has had a number of articles on the subject published (see links below). Its internet platform for community consultation was shortlisted in the Sustain Magazine Awards in 2011.
See also
- Government relations
- Perception managementPerception managementPerception management is a term originated by the US military. The US Department of Defense gives this definition:Actions to convey and/or deny selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, and objective reasoning as well as to intelligence systems...
- Public relationsPublic relationsPublic relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
- Media relationsMedia relationsMedia relations involves working with various media for the purpose of informing the public of an organization's mission, policies and practices in a positive, consistent and credible manner. Typically, this means coordinating directly with the people responsible for producing the news and features...
External links
- Official Chelgate website
- Chelgate Bucharest website
- Chelgate Brussels website
- Construction Manager Legal update article about localism and planning reform January 2011
- New Law Journal Article entitled The Power of PR, July 2010
- Housebuilder Magazine Article about the forthcoming Tory Green Paper on planning, October 2009