Matthew Freud
Encyclopedia
Matthew Freud is head of Freud Communications
, an international public relations
firm in the United Kingdom
.
and the late writer Sir Clement Freud
, his sister is television interviewer Emma Freud
. His great-grandfather
is Sigmund Freud
and he is doubly related to the 'father' of public relations, Edward Bernays
, whose father was Sigmund Freud's brother-in-law (the brother of Sigmund Freud's wife) and whose mother was Sigmund Freud's sister. He is the nephew of the late artist Lucian Freud
and (by former marriage) of the late writer Lady Caroline Blackwood
, and his cousins include fashion designer Bella Freud
, novelists Susie Boyt
and Esther Freud
.
He was educated at Westminster School
and left in his third year and briefly attended Pimlico Comprehensive.
in his documentary Century of the Self describes Matthew Freud as a star in the "new culture of public relations and marketing in politics, business and journalism" which rose in the Clinton-Blair years. PRWeek says that Freud is "the most influential PR professional in the UK".
Matthew Freud, along with his sister Emma Freud and brother-in-law Richard Curtis
, sit on the board of Trustee
s for Comic Relief, which is aired every second year on the BBC
as a nationwide charity event.
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. Many major newspapers boycotted the event citing an apparent conflict of interest as one of the reasons..
, brother of Diana, Princess of Wales
.
His second wife is Elisabeth Murdoch
, second daughter of media magnate
Rupert Murdoch
head of News Corporation
. 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 Ghana
ian financial and political mogul
, Kwame Pianim
). The couple married in August 2001 at Blenheim Palace
. They have two children, Charlotte Emma Freud, born in 2000, and Samson Murdoch Freud, born in 2007.
He has a friendship with several members of the Conservative party including George Osborne
and David Cameron
. Freud has also invited Cameron to many events and is part of the so-called 'Notting Hill set' of influential Conservative-linked figures.
Freud Communications
Freud Communications is a public relations firm based in London. Freud Communications was founded by Matthew Freud, who comes from the Public Relations dynasty of Edward Bernays and is the great-grandson of the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud...
, an international public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
firm in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Biography
Freud is the son of June FlewettJune Flewett
June Beatrice Flewett is a British actress and theatre director who was married to Clement Freud. As a war-time teenager, she was evacuated to C.S...
and the late writer Sir Clement Freud
Clement Freud
Sir Clement Raphael Freud was an English broadcaster, writer, politician and chef.-Early life:Freud was born in Berlin, the son of Jewish parents Ernst Ludwig Freud and Lucie née Brasch. He was the grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and the brother of artist Lucian Freud...
, his sister is television interviewer Emma Freud
Emma Freud
Emma Vallencey Freud OBE is an English broadcaster and cultural commentator.-Early life:Emma Freud was born on 25 January 1962 and is the daughter of politician and broadcaster Sir Clement Freud and June Flewett. She is the great-granddaughter of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud...
. His great-grandfather
Freud family
The family of Sigmund Freud, the pioneer of psychoanalysis, lived in Austria and Germany until the 1930s before emigrating to England, Canada and the United States...
is Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
and he is doubly related to the 'father' of public relations, Edward Bernays
Edward Bernays
Edward Louis Bernays , was an Austrian-American pioneer in the field of public relations and propaganda along with Ivy Lee, referred to in his obituary as "the father of public relations"...
, whose father was Sigmund Freud's brother-in-law (the brother of Sigmund Freud's wife) and whose mother was Sigmund Freud's sister. He is the nephew of the late artist Lucian Freud
Lucian Freud
Lucian Michael Freud, OM, CH was a British painter. Known chiefly for his thickly impasted portrait and figure paintings, he was widely considered the pre-eminent British artist of his time...
and (by former marriage) of the late writer Lady Caroline Blackwood
Caroline Blackwood
Lady Caroline Maureen Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood was a writer and artist's muse, and the eldest child of the 4th Marquess of Dufferin and Ava and the brewery heiress Maureen Guinness....
, and his cousins include fashion designer Bella Freud
Bella Freud
Bella Freud is a London-based fashion designer with a number of celebrity clients.-Life and career:Freud was born in London, England. She is the daughter of Bernardine Coverley and artist Lucian Freud and great granddaughter of the inventor of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud. Her father Lucian Freud...
, novelists Susie Boyt
Susie Boyt
Susie Boyt is a British novelist.The daughter of Suzy Boyt and artist Lucian Freud, and great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud. Susie Boyt was educated at Channing and at Camden School for Girls and read English at St Catherine's College, Oxford, graduating in 1992...
and Esther Freud
Esther Freud
Esther Freud is a British novelist.-Life and career:Born in London, Freud is the daughter of painter Lucian Freud and Bernadine Coverley and is a great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud. She travelled extensively with her mother as a child, and returned to London at the age of sixteen to train as an...
.
He was educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and left in his third year and briefly attended Pimlico Comprehensive.
Career
Freud Communications is currently the eighth largest public relations company in the UK, with around 220 employees. Landmark campaigns include the London 2012 Olympics, Product (RED), Nike, Pepsi, BMW, BUPA, ASDA etc. Adam CurtisAdam Curtis
Adam Curtis is a British BAFTA winning documentarian and a writer, television producer, director and narrator. He works for BBC Current Affairs.-Early life and education:Curtis was born in 1955...
in his documentary Century of the Self describes Matthew Freud as a star in the "new culture of public relations and marketing in politics, business and journalism" which rose in the Clinton-Blair years. PRWeek says that Freud is "the most influential PR professional in the UK".
Matthew Freud, along with his sister Emma Freud and brother-in-law Richard Curtis
Richard Curtis
Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis, CBE is a New Zealand-born British screenwriter, music producer, actor and film director, known primarily for romantic comedy films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones's Diary, Notting Hill, Love Actually and The Girl in the Café, as well as the hit...
, sit on the board of Trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s for Comic Relief, which is aired every second year on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
as a nationwide charity event.
In May 2005, in partnership with Piers Morgan
Piers Morgan
Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan , known professionally as Piers Morgan, is a British journalist and television presenter. He is editorial director of First News, a national newspaper for children....
, he acquired ownership of the Press Gazette
Press Gazette
Press Gazette, formerly known as UK Press Gazette , is a British media trade magazine dedicated to journalism and the press. It was first published in 1965, and currently has a circulation of about 2,500, although it had enjoyed higher circulations earlier in its history...
, a media trade publication, and its 'cash cow' the British Press Awards
British Press Awards
The British Press Awards is an annual ceremony that celebrates the best of British journalism. Established in the 1970s, honours are voted on by a panel of journalists and newspaper executives...
, in a deal worth £1million. Many major newspapers boycotted the event citing an apparent conflict of interest as one of the reasons..
Personal life
Freud's first wife was Caroline Hutton with whom he had two sons: George Rupert Freud and Jonah Henry Freud. Caroline subsequently married the 9th Earl SpencerCharles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer
Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, DL , styled Viscount Althorp between 1975 and 1992, is a British peer and brother of Diana, Princess of Wales...
, brother of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
.
His second wife is Elisabeth Murdoch
Elisabeth Murdoch (businesswoman)
Elisabeth Murdoch is an executive in the British television industry and a daughter of international media mogul Rupert Murdoch...
, second daughter of media magnate
Media proprietor
A media proprietor is a person who controls, either through personal ownership or a dominant position in any media enterprise. Those with significant control of a public company in the mass media may also be called "media moguls", "tycoons", "barons", or "bosses".The figure of the media proprietor...
Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
head of News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
. 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 Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian financial and political mogul
Magnate
Magnate, from the Late Latin magnas, a great man, itself from Latin magnus 'great', designates a noble or other man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or other qualities...
, Kwame Pianim
Kwame Pianim
A. Kwame Pianim is a celebrated Ghanaian business economist and investment consultant. After ten years as a political prisoner, he made a 1996 bid to run for the presidency of Ghana. Switching gears, he found success as a businessman in Accra.-Family:...
). The couple married in August 2001 at Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
. They have two children, Charlotte Emma Freud, born in 2000, and Samson Murdoch Freud, born in 2007.
He has a friendship with several members of the Conservative party including George Osborne
George Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
and David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
. Freud has also invited Cameron to many events and is part of the so-called 'Notting Hill set' of influential Conservative-linked figures.
External links
- Freud Communications official website
- Matthew Freud collected news and commentary at The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
- Matthew Freud collected news and commentary at The London Evening Standard
- Matthew Freud collected news and commentary at The Times of IndiaThe Times of IndiaThe Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
- Follow-Up: Roger Ailes on Matthew Freud, The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, 13 January 2010 - Matthew Freud Is The Most Powerful PR Operator In The UK, Danny Rogers, PRWeek, 18 May 2011