THE COUNTRY’S top public relations firms will be busy scrubbing up for what will be one of the most plum State jobs: the PR contract for the National Asset Management Agency (Nama).
The agency is expected to put the contract out to tender shortly and all PR eyes will be on Nama’s website for details of the contract.
On February 10th, the first Nama-branded press release landed in our inboxes on spanking new letterheading with a rather modern-looking Irish harp, though not quite as modern as the logo of Nama’s home agency, the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA). The release, announcing the appointment of four Nama executives, carried the name and contact details of communications man Ray Gordon of Dublin firm Gordon MRM at the bottom, prompting many a PR executive to think that the lucrative contract was Gordon’s.
Not so. Gordon does work for the NTMA and he simply sent out the one release for Nama prior to the PR contract being issued.
Nama’s business plan last year estimated that fees and expenses would top €2.64 billion over its 10-year lifespan so PR firms – like the lawyers, accountants and valuers before them – will be champing at the bit to get a share of this booty.
One good thing that will hopefully come from the contract is that Nama will at last have a voice to provide regular updates to the public about the progress of its €54 billion project.
