Barbour Griffith & Rogers is representing Dorchester Group Ltd., the luxury hotel chain owned by Sultan of Brunei that is under a boycott for his old-rich country's Sharia law.
The company runs the Beverly Hills Hotel, Bel-Air Hotel (Los Angeles), The Dorchester/45 Park Lane (London), Hotel Eden (Rome), Hotel Plaza Athenee (Paris), Le Richemond (Geneva) among other properties.
It is rumored to be interested in acquiring New York's Plaza Hotel, which is partly owned by Saudi billionaire Alwaleed Bin Talal, owner of The Savoy Hotel in London.
BGR handles Washington for Dorchester for "international issues impacting the hotel, commercial and services sectors," according to its federal filing.
Walker Roberts, managing director of BGR's London office, leads the effort. He joined BGR as serving four chairmen of the House Committee of International Relations. He also worked in the Reagan White House in the office of legislative affairs.
Dorchester claims opponents of Sharia law unfairly target it. CEO Christopher Cowdray told CNBC in May that many "iconic American brands" in categories such as real estate, luxury goods, technology and consumer products" are "backed by countries governed by Sharia and not aligned with our civil liberties."
The Queen of Brunei made a bit of news Nov. 12 when the Associated Press reported that she gave Michelle Obama jewelry worth more than $70K in 2013.
Under federal ethics rules, the gift must be turned over to Uncle Sam until the Obama leave Washington, which is when the gold earrings, ring and sapphire/diamond necklace may be purchased by the First Family.
Human Rights Campaign spokesperson Fred Sainz noted while gifts are part of diplomacy, over-the-top presents from "authoritarian potentates who stone their citizens to death is not something that civil society should find acceptable."
Impact Management Group, which is headed by Republican operative Terry Benham, works to build US support for Ukraine.
Rational 360 has ironed out its six-month $1.2M contract with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to position it as a “sophisticated global investment fund.”
APCO has signed on to promote this month’s visit of Ahmed Al Khateeb, head of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism, to the US.
The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Tourism has signed on Montieth & Co. for strategic communications and media relations duties as chaos grips neighboring Haiti.
Edelman is negotiating a formal contract with the Bahamas for strategic communications on issues impacting its reputation abroad.
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