The chief government of Sony Music was made a CBE within the New Yr’s honours record after an £18,000-a-month PR agency chased nomination letters from celebrities together with James Corden, the Each day Mail can reveal.
Leaked emails reveal the behind-the-scenes work carried out in an try and safe a knighthood for Rob Stringer – the report boss who signed Adele and One Path to Columbia earlier than shifting to Sony in 2017.
The astonishing messages reveal:
- Mr Stringer met the British consul basic in New York after he was advised the official might affect the honours system in his favour;
- TV presenter Nick Owen, journal editor Dylan Jones and movie government Ged Doherty all offered letters of endorsement after being chased by the PR agency;
- PR boss Paul Blanchard tried to teach Gavin and Stacey star Corden find out how to assemble an endorsement letter for the Sony boss;
- Celebrities together with Jo Whiley and Pharrell Williams additionally offered endorsement letters for Mr Stringer (however weren’t contacted by Mr Blanchard).
Leaked emails reveal the behind-the-scenes work carried out in an try and safe a knighthood for Rob Stringer (left) – the report boss who signed Adele (centre) and One Path to Columbia earlier than shifting to Sony in 2017
Mr Blanchard’s agency, Proper Angles PR, was paid a $24,200 (£17,700) month-to-month retainer by Sony Music for PR work and to introduce industrial offers. It started in 2018 and resulted in 2020. Each Sony Music and Mr Stringer say Mr Blanchard was not requested or retained by the corporate or the PR boss to appoint him for an honour or to gather supporting proof.
Proper Angles, which on the time offered a bespoke honours software service, discovered that the British Phonographic Business had nominated Mr Stringer for an honour, and started attempting to assist by gathering letters of endorsement. Mr Blanchard and an worker, former diplomat Daniel Rutstein, additionally brokered a gathering between Mr Stringer and the then consul basic Antony Phillipson in September 2019 in New York.
In an alternate between the PR man and Mr Stringer the day earlier than the assembly, Mr Blanchard implies that Mr Phillipson, certainly one of Britain’s most senior authorities officers within the US on the time, might affect the honours course of in his favour.
There isn’t any suggestion Mr Phillipson acted improperly.
How PR boss briefed Sony supremo earlier than assembly diplomat
Mr Blanchard advised his consumer: ‘Don’t point out honours. The “Ok” phrase mustn’t ever be talked about – then he has full deniability, identical to you do.’ The ‘Ok’ phrase is known to discuss with a knighthood.
Mr Blanchard provides: ‘He is aware of that you already know that he is aware of, and I believe he additionally is aware of that you already know that he is aware of that you just truly know he is aware of.’
In one other message, Mr Stringer is advised: ‘This man is a vital piece within the jigsaw for our – ahem – secret venture… as he would be the man who’s giving “the nod”. Consider him as the person from Del Monte. Besides that he likes you already, is grateful in your assist, and is minded to say sure. And I genuinely assume you two will get on and turn into mates. Which is what we would like.’
Mr Stringer responds to Mr Blanchard and Mr Rutstein: ‘I can’t allow you to each down.’
A International Workplace supply mentioned the honours system was not mentioned in the course of the assembly nor was it ever advised Mr Phillipson had any affect over the method.
A spokesman mentioned: ‘In all instances, honours nominations are topic to rigorous scrutiny and probity checks to evaluate the deserves. Any suggestion that UK officers inappropriately influenced this nomination are totally baseless.
‘Robert Stringer was awarded a CBE in recognition of his distinctive and sustained contribution to the British music enterprise in addition to charity causes and tackling discrimination.’
Owen, who has identified Mr Stringer for many years by way of their work collectively at Luton City FC, the place the report boss is a director, mentioned he was initially contacted by Mr Stringer’s spouse, Julia, to endorse the appliance. He added: ‘He is an efficient good friend and a massively revered man, so after all I did.’
PR boss Paul Blanchard (left) tried to teach Gavin and Stacey star Corden find out how to assemble an endorsement letter for the Sony boss (proper)
Corden additionally advised Mr Blanchard he can be joyful to offer a letter, however didn’t write one.
In July 2020, the Mail revealed that Mr Blanchard’s agency boasted it might get a damehood for writer Barbara Taylor Bradford in alternate for £80,000.
A supply mentioned Mr Stringer would have nearly actually have been awarded the CBE with out Mr Blanchard’s interference and it was a disgrace his popularity can be tarnished by affiliation. The revelations expose a stunning perception into the honours system and the way people attempt to manipulate the appliance course of.
Labour MP Chris Bryant, chairman of the requirements committee, mentioned the apply of personal specialist companies making an attempt to safe honours for his or her shoppers needs to be made unlawful.
Mr Blanchard mentioned his former consumer had executed nothing flawed and totally deserved his CBE. ‘It’s necessary to notice the intentions of these leaking my stolen emails to you, as my pleasant emails to Mr Stringer, despatched in excessive spirits, can look damning if stripped of the mandatory context,’ he added.
‘At no level did I obtain any instruction to safe Rob an honour whereas I used to be working for Sony Music. This was merely my pet venture, that I had proactively taken upon myself, as I needed the optimistic distinction that Rob has made to the group to be recognised. I owe him [Mr Stringer] a really deep apology.’
A supply at Sony Music mentioned the corporate had not labored with Mr Blanchard for greater than 18 months and that Mr Stringer had met successive consul generals in New York for years.