Top PRs Roland Rudd and Sir Alan Parker brought together by Shell’s BG Group takeover
Rarely does one get the two titans of the financial PR world, Finsbury’s Roland Rudd and Brunswick’s Sir Alan Parker, in the same room – but that’s exactly what happened earlier this week in the prep meeting for Shell’s agreed £47bn takeover of BG Group.
Observers say that Rudd stood up to shake his rival’s hand as he arrived (a little late, it has to be said) to the meeting at Slaughter & May’s offices in Bunhill Row.
Finsbury’s Roland Rudd
The niceties were short-lived, however, as there was some disagreement between the two about what the main PR issues would be, with Rudd disagreeing that the projected job cuts would become the major issue in the debate.
Many would have paid to have seen the top two up against each other.
The meeting, which was also attended by many of the big beasts of the investment banking world such as Simon Mackenzie-Smith, Karen Cook, Mark Sorrell, Simon Robey and Julian Mylchreest, came a few hours before news of the deal started leaking out into the outside world before being confirmed later that evening.