In a bid to restore its global image shattered by last year’s anti-extradition bill protests, Hong Kong’s government has turned to the same London-based public relations company hired by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman after allegations he ordered the brutal torture and murder of a journalist in 2018.

Consulum FZ LLC beat six rivals for the US$6.29 million one-year contract, Hong Kong’s Information Services Department said on Monday, without naming any of the other bidders. The government in April invited PR firms to pitch for its “Relaunch Hong Kong” campaign, though many of the world’s top agencies dropped out of the contest or shunned it altogether.

According to the company’s website, Consulum has offices in Bahrain, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Monaco and Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh. Consulum FZ LLC is registered in Dubai, while Consulum HK Limited was set up in May this year, and is held by a Cayman Islands entity.

Consulum was hired to rebuild Saudi Arabia’s image hurt by the murder of US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the country’s consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in October 2018. A United Nations report in June 2019 said there was “credible evidence” that Bin Salman and other high-level officials were individually responsible for the killing, which the prince has denied.

The company was founded by former employees of Bell Pottinger after the global PR agency collapsed following a scandal over a dirty-tricks campaign in South Africa and which had been the target of criticism over unethical work practices and unsavory list of clients.

Consulum will develop communications and marketing strategies to “help Hong Kong reconnect with global audiences as we gradually reopen for business,” Deputy Director of Information Services Brett Free said.

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