The annual Arendalsuka August is quickly become an important meeting place for politicians, business leaders, journalists and PR people. Last year’s event was nearly destroyed by a bitter feud between Aust-Agder county and leader of the program, Oystein Djupedal, and chairman of First House, Leif Monsen, who until this fall was a member of the program committee in Arendalsuka.
Meeting place for business and politics every summer. Held for the fourth time this year.
All party leaders tend to run for party leader debate during the week. Last year was Prize winner and leader of the IPCC Rajendra K. Pachauri main guest. This year Gro Harlem Brundtland announced as a guest.
Oystein Djupedal, county of Aust-Agder, chairman Week program committee.
Arendal is host municipality, accountant and auditor for a week. In addition to Arendal contributes Aust-Agder county, Vest-Agder County, Kristiansand municipality and private sponsors financially.
more
The conflict was over who would have credit for Arendalsuka and how Djupedal and his colleagues would remove all traces of the country’s most controversial PR agency. First First House ‘logo removed.
Pr agency in operation from January 2010. caused a stir when it was started, because the former Minister Bjarne Håkon Hanssen and Undersecretary Jan-Erik Larsen joined as partners.
CEO Per Høiby came from his job as managing director and partner of JKL Group. Previously, he was an advisor to Defence Ministers Kristin Krohn Devold and Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen. Other key employees with strong political background is Torbjørn Giæver Eriksen, Morten Wetland, Tor Mikkel Wara and Morten Andreas.
Has created much debate because several of the staff have come from central political office and that knowledge about the political processes is one of the services PR agency selling.
Since last summer appealed before the trade Komm of PR veteran Hans Geelmuyden, urging Economic Crime to investigate First House ‘role in Troms Kraft case. Was later acquitted.
more
Then Monsen removed from the program. And finally – in October last year – was the story of how First House chief Per Høiby with Veidekke Director Kai Krüger Henriksen initiated Arendalsuka deleted from the event’s website.
“Nastiest I know”
10. March 2014: Just before midnight press Arendal Week program committee chairman Øystein Djupedal the send button. The former SV minister is furious at First House, PR agency where Leif Monsen is chairman. Monsen and Djupedal worked voluntarily for several years to establish Arendalsuka.
In the email writes Djupedal: “It is a burden that many in First House pretends that this is an event they have nothing to do with (. ..) I feel sick when I hear what First House has said the city how important they are (…) Considering what I and others contribute, so the choice is simple – if not Leif gets stopped First House’s sickening praise I can not be a part of this. I feel abused and is furious! (…) I’m not kidding, I spend my time on my rooted belief in democracy, and contrast of the nastiest I know, making money on democracy. “
Read the contents of the email here “So – very serious” (+)
Djupedal states that if he does not get his way, then “I’m going to write a mail to all I have invited this year and everyone I know not to participate. “
Among those who receive the email, is Arendals mayor Einar Halvorsen. He is head of the Council, Arendal Week upper body. Chief Harald Danielsen, secretary of the Council receives it too, like the other two in the program, Leif Monsen and editor Stein Gauslaa in Agderposten.
Pulled back the words
In 2008 Djupedal on jobbjakt after he had to quit as minister in 2007 and parliamentary period came to an end. Djupedal had conversations with Per Høiby about a possible job in PR agency JKL, where Høiby was boss. But towards the end of 2008 Djupedal asked by the government to seek county job in Aust-Agder. There he in October 2009. The first summer that county he sat down again with Høiby, then become manager of First House, to discuss a proposal by Høiby andVeidekke chief Kai Krüger Henriksen: A Arendalsuke, inspired by the Swedish success Almedalsveckan.
Tuesday this week asked DN Djupedal why he sent the email.
CEO Per Høiby (left ) and Leif Monsen in First House. Photo: Thomas T. Kleiven
– There is a private email sent from my private email address. You have requested access to it, and it has Municipal Affairs denied because they believe it is a private email. I am commenting therefore not email, says Djupedal.
– Why is it a private email when it deals Arendalsuka?
– Arendalsuka are not covered by FOIA. It is a volunteer project. Leif Monsen has driven an active effort to distribute it to defame Arendalsuka that project.
Two days after the email writes Djupedal an sms to receivers and says that the email was sent by mistake – it was written in affect. The harsh words were drawn, but the message was hard to get away.
Today denies Djupedal, Einar Halvorsen and Stein Gauslaa that email was the reason Monsen went.
But Gauslaa acknowledges that he knew of the email from Djupedal then commented conflict Fædrelandsvennen last year.
– The email was part of an ongoing discussion around the theme that we had stood ii years, says Gauslaa.
Would remove all traces
Already in Arendal Week first year, in 2012, was questioned what role First House played. Although the program and all involved insisted that PR agency had no influence on the content, it was established an impression that Arendalsuka on somehow was part of the First House. Company logo stood listed along with the other partners due Monsens volunteer effort in the same way as county governor logo are listed because of Djupedal efforts. None of them got paid. But the questions continued the following year. And it was hard to ignore the event origin. As it until last year stood at Arendal Week website under the title “How was Arendalsuka to”: “Per Høiby was the one who launched the idea (…) He mooted the idea of Kai Krüger Henriksen (…)”
Spring 2014 came it to remove First House. A week before the politicians, the press and PR people took Arendal, it became known in VG Djupedal on their own initiative had removed First House logo from web sites, program booklets and posters.
When the Council summed up the event in September was also Monsen removed. Chief Harald Danielsen suggested it formally in a note and Monsen got verbally informed that Djupedal had set an ultimatum. He would withdraw if Monsen was allowed to continue. Before the meeting of the Council began, took Monsen consequence of pressure and resigned.
– He voluntarily withdrew, saying Djupedal.
– You type in your email that First House must out. If not pull you and you want to call everyone you know and encourage not attend Arendalsuka. Then it is well not volunteer, but a threat?
– He resigned voluntarily. I am commenting whatsoever the mail.
Monsen was out. The logo was gone. Now remained only Arendal Week own description of Høiby and Monsen sites. In October disappeared that story too. Councilman Danielsen takes responsibility for it.
– We were very busy last year by removing all possible because of misunderstandings and doubts about connection to First House. The event we are now running is in all ways without such a link, he said.
– You would remove all traces of First House?
– Yes. We would not be associated with First House.
Spot on suit
As veteran Hans Geelmuyden think it was necessary to take Arendalsuka distance to First House because the company is so closed. Last year complained Geelmuyden competitor in for violation of the provisions on transparency in PR agency association comes ethical rules, but lost.
– For Arendalsuka was corroded with First House problematic because it could always be questioned theme choice and who were invited as speakers – because we do not know which interests First House represents. This would over time have weakened Arendal Week legitimacy, and therefore I think all bands had to be cut. I understand cleanup very well. Who will walk around with spot on the suit?
– This I have absolutely no comment responding Per Høiby.
Read also:
– Diesel prohibition is a paradox
To find your own X-Factor
At this pole occurs trends first
Oslo: Chairman Leif Monsen in First House says he was sorry when Djupedal attack him. Until September he was a member of the program committee in Arendalsuka.
Monsen perceive Djupedal as emotional in conflict with First House, and wonders why he and Djupedal have so differing perception of the case and Arendal Week prehistory.
– I was sorry. This is something I have engaged myself in for many years, with the best intentions, says Monsen.
– Djupedal claim you have run around and leaked his private email. What do you say to that?
– The email he refers, was not of a private nature. He sent it as leader of the program in Arendalsuka and contents was about Arendalsuka. Therefore I believed it was relevant to council members in Arendalsuka. It was also why I leave it at my statement to the Council in September last year, says Monsen.
Despite having been interviewed in Agderposten subtitled “Arendal Week father”, dismisses CEO Per Høiby in First House that he has boasted of the agency relation to Arendalsuka.
– I’ve never experienced that Djupedal has said anything about this to me face to face. What he has said in other contexts, where I have not been present, I do not know anything about. This was another idea I got before First House was intended, says Høiby.
Read the entire newspaper here.
No comments:
Post a Comment