Crisis PR strategist Mark Fabiani is working with the Dorchester Collection as it deals with a boycott of its properties, including the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel-Air, triggered by owner Sultan of Brunei’s imposition of a harsh set of Sharia laws in his country.
Fabiani, who worked in Bill Clinton’s administration, was hired by the hotel chain several days ago as a series of organizations announced plans to withdraw their events from the Beverly Hills Hotel in protest of policies in Brunei.
The hotel is owned by the Brunei Investment Agency, which is controlled by that country’s government.
Fabiani and Chris Lehane authored a book, “Masters of Disaster: The Ten Commandments of Damage Control,” along with Bill Guttentag. Fabiani will work with Dorchester via his own LLC.
The boycott grew more widespread this week after Jay Leno and other entertainment figures appeared at a protest across the street from the Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Boulevard.
Several major talent agencies, including ICM Partners, UTA and WME Entertainment, have joined the boycott, according to representatives from the agencies.
Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz, whose district includes the Hotel Bel Air, has introduced a resolution condemning Brunei’s laws.
The CEO of the Dorchester Collection, Christopher Cowdray, has said in interviews that the boycott will end up hurting employees, and that the Dorchester Collection operates with a code of conduct that includes principles of equality.
cant we form a coomittee to sit down and just talk about clarifying reality of existing beliefs and actual facts… just a dialogue to try and exchange differences and reason? your tennis court or mine … lets talk peace and amend, respectfully retired theatrical agency owner,,, miss lunches with bob cummings rudy valle and margaret obrien and edd byrnes… even julie styne and jimmy nederlander so many memories of my favorite hacienda… remember the mariachis and oh yes mervyn leroy.. cary grant and jacqueline susann. rady harris…nino dino, herman freddy.. and the king beb silberstien… sincerly richard degrandcourt
acreen the king and i … its not easy being king” but now and then he does something wonderful.. just amend the law…. world peace and everyones happy… baron degrandcourt
This hotel needs to be sold. I hope Rosewood Hotels, Belmond Hotels, or maybe even Relais & Chateaux will step up and but the hotels, even TY Warner who owns San Yasidro Ranch in Santa Barbara would be a good choice, but the Dorchester Collection needs to go!
I’m afraid public relations is not the problem here. It’s making bad decisions like enacting sharia law as well as hiring a PR person to address the problem. DUH? It’s Beverly Hills & Hollywood dudes and they are not going to back down based on some slick PR campaign. LOL so dumb, so dumb. However, when you have billions of dollars I guess you can just throw it away or attempt to buy yourself out of trouble. Sorry, but I don’t think if they hired God to do their PR it would make a difference in this case.
I could save them hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees — the guy needs to give up ownership. Plain and simple.
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