 Oleg Deripaska |
Mercury Public Affairs scored a major victory Jan. 16 as Republicans in the Senate blocked a bid to restore sanctions on aluminum and energy companies controlled by Oleg Deripaska, Russian oligarch and confidant to strongman Vladimir Putin.
The Treasury Dept. last month eased the sanctions, claiming that Deripaska restructured his ownership position in Rusal, the world’s No. 2 aluminum company, and its parent EN+ Group.
Mercury’s connection with Deripaska is via a contract signed last May with British politico Gregory Barker, EN+ Group chairman and a member of the UK House of Lords.
The British Parliament is investigating Barker for “alleged breach of the code in relation to personal honor, parliamentary services and paid advocacy.”
Former Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter heads Team Mercury, supported by partner Morris Reid (former leader of BGR’s international practice and staffer to former VP Al Gore) and senior VP Deirdre Stach (Clark & Weinstock alum and aide to ex-Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Robert Walker)
Mercury receives a $108,500 monthly fee for representing Deripaska’s work.
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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