Havas keeps quiet on whether Ian Osborne will stay on board after Epstein files
Havas is keeping quiet on whether Ian Osborne will stay on its board as the French PR giant weighs the impact of fresh details concerning the relationship between the British exec and Jeffrey Epstein.
Osborne, who is a non-executive director of Havas, launched his own consultancy business, Osborne and Partners, in 2009 and offered advice to Epstein in 2011 following the latter’s conviction for procuring a child for prostitution in 2008.
In documents released by the US Department of Justice, Osborne pitched a PR strategy to Epstein in which he proposed “steadily to restore your profile in select media, political and philanthropic circles” as well as to “establish you as a pioneering supporter of science and technology.”
Osborne promised Epstein he could “clean up” his profile on Google by attempting to downrank the prominence of news stories on his paedophilia on searches for his name.
“We have hired an excellent team of Israeli experts for other clients,” Osborne said, according to the filings.
“I cannot overstate the importance of this, because it is the initial source of information on you for many people.”
Osborne also suggested setting up informal “engagements” with senior journalists at the Times, the Financial Times and the Economist, in order to garner more positive press coverage.
A spokesperson for Havas told City PM the company was “looking into this topic, which we were not aware of” but did not respond for comment on whether Osborne would be dropped from the firm’s board.
In a statement to the Telegraph, Osborne said: “I wholeheartedly regret that I ever met or had any association whatsoever with Epstein.
“I never witnessed, nor was aware of, the repellent and illegal behaviour by him. I am forever sorry for all the people who suffered by him. It was a serious error of judgment and one I bitterly regret.”
Jes Staley lobbying efforts
The documents also show Osborne offered to help Epstein to lobby for the instalment of his associate Jes Staley as the new chief executive of Barclays.
Osborne proposed floating the idea of Staley’s candidacy for the role with well known British financial journalists. In one email, Osborne tells Epstein then-Financial Times editor Lionel Barber will be joining him at a dinner “so I can have a quiet word on Jes if that makes sense.” There is no suggestion of impropriety by Barber.
Staley became chief executive of Barclays in 2015. He has since resigned from Barclays in connection with his association with Epstein and would later be banned from holding senior financial services positions in the UK.
Associations with Epstein have triggered a string of recent resignations in the UK. Former Washington ambassador Peter Mandelson this week quit as a House of Lords peer after fresh details emerged over the pair’s relationship while Mandelson was business secretary in 2010, while the boss of Mandelson’s consulting firm Global Counsel this week resigned after City PM reported further details over the firm’s communications with Epstein.