Mandelson’s lobbying firm Global Counsel collapses into administration
Global Counsel, the lobbying practice founded by Lord Mandelson, has entered administration as the business struggles to stay afloat after a wave of major clients departed in the wake of revelations linked to the Epstein files. Mandelson has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Images show Mandelson with Jeffrey Epstein in St Barts in 2005.
Mandelson departed Global Counsel’s board in 2024 after being appointed Britain’s ambassador to Washington, and he agreed to divest his stake in the firm. He originally established the outfit after leaving government in 2010.
- Reports indicate Mandelson secured a five-figure settlement connected to his exit as ambassador.
A senior employee described the situation as heartbreaking, noting that staff could lose their livelihoods through no fault of their own.
In an email to staff, Global Counsel’s chief executive Rebecca Park explained: “Over the last two weeks, the leadership team and I have worked tirelessly to find a path that would protect as many roles as possible and allow GC to continue with confidence. We were buoyed by broad market regard for GC’s people and the work we do, and several substantial expressions of interest were pursued in good faith. Yet despite continued client support and the GC team’s resilience, the reputational damage and client losses tied to Mandelson’s legacy proved insurmountable.
“This has been a profoundly difficult period for us all. We have watched what we built together be tarnished by the actions of others, which is unacceptable. In the long term, I remain confident that GC’s people—whom I deeply admire—will move on to brighter opportunities. In the short term, the consequences are painful for everyone involved, and I am truly sorry. I hope, in time, you’ll share my pride in every member of this team.”
With the company placed into administration, staff—some who joined after Mandelson’s departure—will be freed from non-compete clauses and can seek new roles immediately.
GC had already lost contracts with Barclays, Tesco, Phoenix Group, an insurance entity, and Klarna, and Vodafone had placed its collaboration with Global Counsel under review.
Last week, ministers and civil servants were instructed to disclose any engagement with Global Counsel to their managers. A senior civil servant memo stated: “Any engagement with Global Counsel is now treated as sensitive, should be non-routine, and escalated.”
Ben Wegg-Prosser, who co-founded the firm with Mandelson, stepped down as chief executive in an effort to salvage the business.
