Matthew Freud
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Matthew Freud (born 1963) is head of Freud Communications an international public relations firm in the United Kingdom.
Contents
[ edit] Biography
Freud is the son of writer Sir Clement Freud, formerly a Liberal Member of Parliament; his sister is television interviewer Emma Freud, live-in partner of screenwriter Richard Curtis.
His great-grandfather is Sigmund Freud, founded psychoanalysis, which Sigmund's daughter Anna extended. His is doubly related to the 'father' of public relations, Edward Bernays. Freud is the nephew of artist Lucian Freud OM CH CBE and (by former marriage) of the late writer Lady Caroline Blackwood. Lucian is rumoured to have up to 40 illegitimate children, so Matthew's cousins include fashion designer Bella Freud, novelists Susie Boyt and Esther Freud, wife of actor David Morrissey.
He was educated at Westminster School and left in his third year and briefly attended Pimlico Comprehensive.
[ edit] Career
While still in his twenties, Freud came to be considered a Wunderkind in the world of British public relations, and something of a ' enfant terrible' by London society. His success has consisted in a unique blend of innovative marketing strategies for high profile corporate clients, aggressive and diverse business investments, and a colourful persona which, by sustaining media coverage and industry ' buzz', has made of him a public relations tool in the public relations market.
Matthew Freud, along with his sister Emma Freud and brother-in-law Richard Curtis, sit on the board of Trustees for Comic Relief, which is aired annually on the BBC as a nationwide charity event. [1]
In May 2005, in partnership with Piers Morgan, he acquired ownership of the Press Gazette, a media trade publication, and its 'cash cow' the British Press Awards, in a deal worth £1million. [2] [3] An apparent conflict of interest in this ownership is cited as one of the reasons many major newspapers have boycotted the event. [4] [5].
[ edit] Personal life
Freud's first wife was Caroline Hutton (who subsequently became the second wife of the 9th Earl Spencer — only brother of Diana, Princess of Wales — by whom Spencer has two children). She and Freud have two sons, George Rupert Freud (born 3 October 1995) who is now educated at Arnold House school, and Jonah Henry Freud (born 1 April 1997).
His second wife is Elisabeth Murdoch, second daughter of the world's foremost media-magnate, Rupert Murdoch. When the couple began dating (while working as colleagues), she was pregnant with a second child by her first husband and business partner, Elkin Pianim (the son of Ghanaian financial and political mogul, Kwame Pianim). The couple also have 2 children of their own, Charlotte Emma Freud, born in 2000 and Samson Murdoch Freud born in 2007.
Matthew Freud and Elisabeth Murdoch Freud receive much media attention as one of the United Kingdom's best-connected 'power couples.' Their friends include Conservative Party leader David Cameron, who has spent time on both their Gulfstream IV plane and Feadship yacht the Elisabeth F. [6]
[ edit] References
- ^ Comic Relief - Trustees
- ^ Journalism.co.uk
- ^ The Guardian
- ^ [British Press Awards 2006#Controversy leading up to the 2006 awards|2006 British Press Awards]
- ^ Daily Telegraph, Jan 24 2006 - Money
- ^ " Anger at "Three Yachts" David Cameron after second luxury summer holiday". Sunday Mirror (2008-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-10-25.