EDINBURGH — Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane is actively working to punish UK public relations firm Bell Pottinger for inciting racism in South Africa and working in the interests of the Gupta-Zuma state capture plan. He has personally written to seven big Bell Pottinger clients asking them to axe the London-headquartered spin-doctors. Maimane has also instigated an investigation into Bell Pottinger by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), a UK industry body. A hearing is scheduled for later this month. The reason Maimane has taken these steps is because South Africa’s law-enforcement agencies have failed to act against senior politicians and business figures involved in corruption and the capture of state assets. Many South Africans hope that international action from business leaders will help to pull the rug from under the feet of the Gupta and Zuma families. – Jackie Cameron

1. Stephen Hester – RSA Group

Stephen Hester is a key figure in the UK’s financial services sector. He will be keenly aware of the need for UK companies to distance themselves from corrupt activities elsewhere in the world.

RSA Group highlights the following facts about the insurance business boss: “Stephen was previously Chief Executive Officer The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc, 2008-13, where he led the largest ever corporate restructuring and recovery programme. Prior to that he held positions as Chief Executive, British Land plc from 2004 to 2008, Chief Operating Officer, Abbey National plc and a number of senior roles at Credit Suisse First Boston in London and New York. Stephen has over 30 years’ experience in financial services and FTSE100 companies with expertise in transforming the performance of businesses. External appointments: Senior Independent Director of Centrica plc.”

2. Francis Egan – Cuadrilla Resources

Cuadrilla is a privately owned British exploration and production company headquartered in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire. It says of its CEO: “Francis has over 30 years of diverse international experience working in engineering and management roles in the upstream oil and gas industry. Prior to joining Cuadrilla, Francis worked in Houston, Texas as President of Production for BHP Billiton Petroleum. He also held management roles at BHP in Algeria, Pakistan, UK and Australia. Prior to joining BHP Billiton, Francis spent eight years with Marathon Oil in a variety of engineering and commercial roles. He was educated in Ireland, obtaining a BE Civil Degree with First Class Honours and a Master of Engineering Science Degree. He spent time as a PhD Student and research assistant at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Los Angeles and also holds a MBA from the University of Warwick.”

3. Mike O’Driscoll – Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC

“Racing boss Mike O’Driscoll began his career in the automotive industry as a business student in the late 1970s with Jaguar Rover Triumph in the UK, and held various positions in the company’s Finance, Product Development and Marketing functions. Mike has an MBA from the University of Warwick,” says Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC.

“Mike joined Williams as a Non-Executive Director in 2011 and became full-time Group CEO in June 2013. The newly-created role has seen Williams Martini Racing and Williams Advanced Engineering united under one management structure which enables Mike to oversee the long term strategy of the group and provide support to Founder and Team Principal Sir Frank Williams, and to work in partnership with Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal and Commercial Director. Mike leads the Executive Committee and reports to Sir Frank Williams and the Williams Grand Prix Holdings board.”

4. Rob Collins – Waitrose

Rob Collins is Managing Director of Waitrose, the supermarket division of the employee-owned John Lewis Partnership.

“Rob joined the Partnership as a graduate trainee in 1993. He started in the John Lewis Oxford Street store and progressed to a number of roles, including Managing Director of Aberdeen and Cribbs Causeway (Bristol) stores.

Rob was John Lewis Director of Selling Support from 2005 until 2007 when he moved to Waitrose as Director, e-Commerce. After three years he was promoted to the Waitrose Management Board as Personnel Director in 2010. Rob was Retail Director in 2012 and became Managing Director in April 2016.

A graduate of Edinburgh University, where he read Spanish and Business Studies, Rob spent a year working for leading textile firm, Coats Viyella, in Argentina.”

This story was updated on 4 August to remove the names of Virgin Media, Currencies Direct and Centrica – which all said in brief statements that they no longer do business with Bell Pottinger. One company, Currencies Direct, said it ended its relationship with Bell Pottinger more than a year ago, while Centrica and Virgin Media did not specify the details. Bell Pottinger has cited these companies as being among its clients.

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