Jewish PR body The Britain Israel Communications Centre (BICOM) has
named Weber Shandwick Worldwide consultant Lee Petar as its first
director of strategic communications.
The appointment comes as the organisation relaunches, a year after its
creation last October in response to media coverage of the Palestinian
uprising.
Petar is to co-ordinate BICOM's long-term PR strategy, handle press
briefings and oversee media training.
BICOM was originally set up to counter alleged anti-Israeli messages in
the British media. It was wound down late last year but has been revived
through extra funds from Jewish community groups, as a rebuttal and
research group.
Petar said: 'We will act as a research body providing information to the
media when, for example, they want to make programmes about Israeli
issues. In terms of rebuttal we see ourselves as a vehicle for the
Jewish community to address messages rather than us doing it directly
ourselves.'
Petar reports to BICOM director Mark Berg, a former BBC commissioning
editor on The World at One and PM. Berg joined last month as the first
step in BICOM's PR push.
