--- description: Multiple reports suggest the firm could enter administration next week. It has not commented on the claims. title: Disgraced PR Firm Bell Pottinger Near Collapse: Reports image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt20c4cef2abbd6dc4/6988dcfc97cdff36fc6b25b6/gettyimages-667725668.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [United Kingdom](/tag/united-kingdom/) ## United Kingdom Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Disgraced British PR Firm Bell Pottinger Is 'Facing Collapse,' Multiple Reports Say by [Kevin Lui](/author/kevin-lui/) ## Kevin Lui Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 8, 2017 4:26 AM CUT  A Bell Pottinger security guard in the street obstructs the view of the PR company's building in London on April 17, 2017 A Bell Pottinger security guard in the street obstructs the view of the PR company's building in London on April 17, 2017Kristian Buus—In Pictures via Getty Images by [Kevin Lui](/author/kevin-lui/) ## Kevin Lui Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 8, 2017 4:26 AM CUT Bell Pottinger, the British public relations firm [disgraced](http://time.com/4926830/bell-pottinger-jacob-zuma-guptas-racism-scandal/ "undefined") by accusations that it exploited racial faultlines in South Africa, is on the brink of collapse. The company is expected to go into administration — part of the U.K.’s corporate insolvency process — as early as next Monday, and a number of staff members have been told of their imminent firing, [reports](http://www.prweek.com/article/1443984/bell-pottinger-likely-placed-administration-monday "undefined") trade publication PRWeek. The news was announced at a meeting in the company’s London headquarters, BBC News [says](http://www.bbc.com/news/business-41196427 "undefined"). Attendees reportedly included a representative of an accountant firm advising potential sale options for the embattled PR firm known for representing controversial clients like Augusto Pinochet, Oscar Pistorius, and Syrian First Lady Asma al-Assad. Earlier, the once-prestigious PR firm lost its CEO amid a [flight](http://www.bbc.com/news/business-41161914 "undefined") of clients and investors, following its [expulsion](http://news.prca.org.uk/prca-announces-expulsion-of-bell-pottinger/ "undefined") Monday from the U.K.’s Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA). A probe by the PRCA found that Bell Pottinger’s work for South Africa’s controversial Gupta family would “likely inflame racial discord,” and was in breach of the association’s code of conduct. Timothy Bell, the firm’s cofounder who left over his unease with the affair, [told](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41161914 "undefined") the BBC Monday that the company “is probably getting near the end.” Bell Pottinger has not confirmed reports of its impending demise. The firm [got in hot water](http://time.com/4926830/bell-pottinger-jacob-zuma-guptas-racism-scandal/ "undefined") over its activities on behalf of Oakbay Capital, the holding company of the Guptas, who have deep ties with South African President Jacob Zuma. Leaked emails earlier this year [revealed](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jul/10/bell-pottinger-pr-firm-apologizes-south-africa-campaign "undefined") that it devised a social media campaign surrounding the term “white monopoly capital,” building on South Africa’s economic disparities along racial lines, in a bid to create diversion for Zuma, who was facing pressure to resign. Accused of stirring up racial tensions, Bell Pottinger sacked one partner and suspended three employees in July over what it admitted to be offensive and unethical behavior. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4933082/bell-pottinger-south-africa-racism-pr-collapse/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4933082/bell-pottinger-south-africa-racism-pr-collapse/"},"headline":"The Disgraced British PR Firm Bell Pottinger Is 'Facing Collapse,' Multiple Reports Say","datePublished":"2017-09-08T04:26:18.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T17:20:26.202Z","description":"Media reports suggest it could go into administration next week","url":"https://time.com/4933082/bell-pottinger-south-africa-racism-pr-collapse/","keywords":["United Kingdom","South Africa"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt20c4cef2abbd6dc4/6988dcfc97cdff36fc6b25b6/gettyimages-667725668.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Kevin Lui","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/kevin-lui/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt20c4cef2abbd6dc4/6988dcfc97cdff36fc6b25b6/gettyimages-667725668.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Anti Fracking Activists Dressed As Animals At PR Company Bell Pottinger","caption":"Anti Fracking Activists Dressed As Animals At PR Company Bell Pottinger","creditText":"Kristian Buus—In Pictures via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/united-kingdom/","name":"United Kingdom"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4933082/bell-pottinger-south-africa-racism-pr-collapse/","name":"The Disgraced British PR Firm Bell Pottinger Is 'Facing Collapse,' Multiple Reports Say"}}]}] ```