PR company collapses following South Africa scandal
A UK public relations company that had represented a number of travel companies, including London City Airport, Boeing and Qatar Airways, has collapsed after being accused of running a campaign to stir up racial tension in South Africa.
Bell Pottinger put its UK business up for sale last week, but it failed to find a buyer, said the BBC.
Administrators BDP said the firm had been ‘heavily financially impacted’ by the South Africa scandal.
As a result, several clients including HSBC band and luxury goods company Richemont had severed ties with the firm.
A BDO spokesman said: "Following an immediate assessment of the financial position, the administrators have made a number of redundancies.
"The administrators are now working with the remaining partners and employees to seek an orderly transfer of Bell Pottinger’s clients to other firms in order to protect and realise value for creditors."
Bell Pottinger’s Middle East and Asian businesses had already announced plans to separate from the UK parent company.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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