Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks all over the Gulf Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 14, 2021.
Bandar Saudi Press Company | Handout | By the use of Reuters
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has employed a public family govt who used to be as soon as a manufacturer for information anchor Katie Couric to paintings as a media-relations marketing consultant.
Nicolla Hewitt, who has run her personal communications company for over a decade, is becoming a member of the ranks of American influencers who paintings for the dominion. The federal government, which is administered by means of a royal circle of relatives, has been accused of human rights abuses.
Saudi Arabia is led largely by means of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. NBC Information reported in 2018 that he ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, one thing the crown prince has denied. Former President Donald Trump, on the time, stood by means of Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi’s dying. The 2 countries had signed a just about $110 billion hands deal a yr previous.
A brand new disclosure lately filed with the Division of Justice says Hewitt can be carrying out freelance paintings for Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media and “will carry out basic public family and media outreach products and services, together with outreach to broadcast, print and social media in regards to the converting way of living in Saudi Arabia.”
The record notes that Hewitt is carrying out her paintings for the Ministry of Media thru an organization known as Thiqah Trade Services and products. In step with the industry mag Eye of Riyadh, Thiqah Trade Services and products is a “100% executive corporate owned by means of Saudi Authority for Approved Valuers and Saudi Group for Qualified Public Accountants.”
The disclosure shape presentations that Hewitt, previous to the submitting, used to be actively operating for the Saudi executive’s media company all through final yr. In step with a Saudi executive web site, the Ministry of Media “supervises all way of visible, audio and written communique content material within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
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The shape lists newshounds whom Hewitt contacted whilst she represented the Saudi executive, together with the ones at CNBC, NBC Information, CBS Information, the New York Put up and CNN. Public family representatives continuously pitch newshounds on tales for his or her purchasers.
Thiqah paid Hewitt a retainer of over $15,000 in November and December from Thiqah in November and December, in step with the shape.
An electronic mail despatched to Hewitt’s company used to be no longer returned sooner than newsletter. Thiqah Trade Services and products didn’t go back an electronic mail in search of remark.
Hewitt is the newest American consultant to be employed by means of Saudi Arabia in a bid to steer U.S. audiences and officers.
In a while after President Joe Biden used to be elected in 2020, Saudi Arabia employed a number of new lobbyists in a sign that the rustic used to be making plans an up to date affect marketing campaign that might goal the brand new management and incoming Congress. The dominion has additionally been aiming to fund a brand new virtual information platform with a headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Hewitt has prior enjoy within the Heart East and used to be at the board of the U.N. Girls for Peace, in step with her namesake company’s web site. Her LinkedIn web page says she labored with Couric at Yahoo Information, CBS Information and NBC Information.
Her company’s web site additionally lists Bloomberg Philanthropies, Get up To Most cancers, the Rockefeller Basis and Lady Emerging as a few of their purchasers.
