Prince Charles's PR chief to launch consultancy with Google executive

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/nov/27/prince-charles-pr-consultancy-google

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The Prince of Wales's PR supremo, Paddy Harverson, is leaving royal service to team up with one of Google's top executives to launch a new consultancy.

Harverson, 50, who has been at Clarence House for more than eight years, will step down from his position as Prince Charles's communications secretary in the spring to launch the yet-to-be named consultancy with DJ Collins, vice president of public policy and comms for Google EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa).

Voted top PR professional 2011 by PR Week after overseeing the global media operations for the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Harverson has enjoyed major success during his time within palace walls.

A former FT journalist, he joined the royals from Manchester United, where he was the club's first director of communications. Dealing with tricky footballers, as well as the club's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, proved excellent preparation for handling the media frenzies that often surround the royals.

Credited with softening public opinion towards the Duchess of Cornwall immediately before and then after her marriage to Charles, Harverson's responsibilities also included protecting the young princes William and Harry from the media's worst excesses.

Collins, 41, once described by PR Week as "Google god", is feted as one of the most powerful people in technology PR. A former head of news at the Department for Education and Skills, he has also worked at Weber Shandwick.

Both Harverson and Collins featured in PR Week's 2012 list of top 10 operators in the UK.