Reading today's Times, I tore out and kept an article on the new PR emperor, Steve Hilton. Steve is the "secretive guru behind the new Dave project". He is David Cameron the probable future Prime Minister's top PR advisor. He's the "mastermind behind the party's strategy for changing its image" and "his influence can be seen in [strategies such as] Cameron's webcasting" amongst other moves to make the party more appealing. His annual salary is £276,000 according to the Sunday Times. He keeps a very, very low profile. And here's the interesting bit that The Times missed. Steve's girlfriend Rachel Whetstone is head of Google's European PR. Here's what PR Week says about Rachel.
[update: I had dinner with Rachel Whetstone recently and she's razor-sharp and thoroughly nice company]
So if you, like a few people I spoke to, wondered how and why the CEO of Google was at the Conservative party conference this week, now you know.
Watch Google, Steve and Rachel closely. I think we will see a shift in how the web influences politics in a big way in the next year.
The Times: Secretive guru behind the new Dave Project
very interesting - cheers for the tip Drew!
Posted by: Ed Lee | October 05, 2006 at 11:00 PM
Thanks Ed. What is the Tory image from your perspective in Canada (if anything)?
Posted by: Drew B | October 05, 2006 at 11:19 PM
Rachel is also the godfather of one of David Cameron's children. Earlier this week, on my politics blog, I talked about the links between the Conservatives and Google.
http://www.stuartssoapbox.com/2006/10/google_the_tori.html
Posted by: Stuart Bruce - Wolfstar | October 06, 2006 at 08:50 AM
I think it was godmother :-)
Posted by: Drew B | October 06, 2006 at 09:20 AM