I consider this to be the lowest form of ambulance chasing and would not expect a trade organisation to recruit on the back of the demise of what was a well-regarded communication consultancy.
No doubt there will be a number of young and talented individuals at Bell Pottinger who had nothing to do with the South African debacle who are now worried about their futures. How much more statesmanlike would it have been to offer to provide help, guidance and even support for those who were not to blame?
I do not feel inspired by a trade body that is "proud" to ban one of its members.
The PRCA is not a regulatory organisation and probably earned a healthy income from Bell Pottinger’s membership fees.
What has happened is very sad and I think that the leadership team and the company has been punished for what it did. Of course their actions do not reflect well on the industry.
However, I think it is important that the public relations and communications industry now focusses on rebuilding its reputation and stops behaving like vultures picking over a deeply wounded organisation.
Diana Soltmann is chairman of Flagship Consulting
Read next: Bell Pottinger thrown out of PRCA after 'bringing industry into disrepute'
