FSA appoints Tony Blair's former spin doctor
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The Financial Services Authority has appointed Tom Kelly, a former spin doctor for Tony Blair as its new communications director.
Kelly joins from BAA, where he has been director of communications since 2007.
A former BBC journalist, his previous civil service roles also include communications director at the Northern Ireland Office and Prime Minister’s official spokesman.
Kelly spent six years in Downing Street and had to publicly apologise for referring to government weapons inspector David Kelly as “a Walter Mitty character” during a private discussion with a journalist.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines a Walter Mitty as “an ordinary, often ineffectual person who indulges in fantastic daydreams of personal triumphs”.
He also came under scrutiny in March 1998 when a document he prepared for the then Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam disclosed plans for an unprecedented PR offensive to secure a Yes vote in the referendum on the Good Friday agreement.
He will take up his new role on 4 May and report to the FSA’s chief executive, Hector Sants.
Sants, says: “I am pleased to welcome Tom Kelly to the FSA’s senior management team. His breadth of communications experience will bring considerable strength to the organisation as we take forward the priorities we have laid out in our recent business plan.”
The FSA’s former director of communications John Murray quit in December after four years in the job.
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Readers' comments (15)
Danny Lovey | 6 Apr 2010 4:08 pm
That was close timing - a job for one of the boys of the new Labour cronies ahead of the election
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Anonymous | 6 Apr 2010 4:09 pm
Fantastic - this is all we need from the FSA. Stand by for action! Will there be more apologies to come? This just shows that the FSA is made of people in the 'loop' not because they are good at what they do!
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John Reid | 6 Apr 2010 4:11 pm
Yet another high paid waste of space - at least they are keeping all the 'old boys' network in well paid jobs.
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Dave Doncaster | 6 Apr 2010 4:14 pm
Oh good, yet another person paid for by exhorbatant fees the FSA charge hard working brokers, to squander and not be able to do a proper job. Least this time they should be able to come out with better excuses for being inept and categorically useless and the biggest waste of time!! Roll on Santa Claus being brought in by the FSA soon to try and improve their image...........like that will ever happen!! disband and admit your faults. Let a proper run company do what you have always failed to do.
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John Tidswell | 6 Apr 2010 4:16 pm
Sounds like another nice little job for the boys with a nice big fat salary to accompany it.
Good work if you can get it, so congratulations. Good to see our FSA fees are going to a worthy cause!
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Anonymous | 6 Apr 2010 4:18 pm
Oh well! Here we go again someone else who can make a packet out of relaying the garbage the FSA come out with
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Anonymous | 6 Apr 2010 4:20 pm
Hopefully the new governement will see sense and get rid of this failed institute and its high salaried none jobs!
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Anonymous | 6 Apr 2010 4:30 pm
It is good to know that the FSA has brought in another overpaid executive to apply the whitewash to this appallingly inept organisation
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Mike the mortgage broker | 6 Apr 2010 4:32 pm
If the Conservatives win the election and disband the FSA are we going to be paying his director's contract without him doing a days work?
What sort of person takes a job like this knowing that the job could disappear within weeks?
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Anonymous | 6 Apr 2010 4:44 pm
Great. This is all we need. More spin doctors. Just hope that the Tories get in and disembowel the FSA! This appointment, and organisation, can be classified as 'WASTE', which can be eliminated.
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