Johannesburg: James Henderson, the chief executive of City public relations firm Bell Pottinger, has resigned amid accusations the firm helped run a campaign that incited race hate in South Africa.
Henderson, who together with fiancee Heather Kerzner owns 40 per cent of the agency, confirmed his resignation to The Daily Telegraph but said he remained committed as a shareholder.
The firm was considering “a number of options” for the future, he said, including a buyout or a sale.
He said he believed it could have a future as a stand-alone company adding: “We have great people and great -clients and all the foundations to move on from this”.
Henderson’s resignation comes after the firm -became embroiled in accusations it was involved in a campaign in South Africa for a company owned by the powerful Gupta family, allegedly involving slurs and paid-for protests over “white monopoly capital” to draw attention from the Guptas’ alleged links to Jacob Zuma, the country’s president.
On Monday morning the firm is braced for the publication of an independent review into the claims by law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, which was expected to criticise Mr Henderson’s oversight.
