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Kate Garvey

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Kate Garvey is a British public relations executive, a former aide of prime minister Tony Blair, and the current wife of Wikipedia co-founder Jimbo Wales.

Career

Political staffer

Icon for the political movement with which Garvey was associated

Garvey's career began as a personal assistant for the Labour party under leader Neil Kinnock.[1] From there, she moved to become an assistant (diary secretary) for Tony Blair.[1]

In 1994 during Blair's leadership bid, Garvey suggested that Peter Mandelson (who was at the time being derided by the Trade Unions and other Labour factions), should adopt a "nom de guerre" to conceal his considerable role within the campaign team. Mandelson agreed to be called "Bobby" for the duration. In his victory speech, Blair referred to Mandelson by the false name.[2][3]

From 1997 until 2005 (except for campaign seasons), Garvey worked in the Prime Minister's Private Office.[4] She was responsible for presentation and planning of domestic and foreign events and visits. By 2005, Garvey's role had progressed to scheduling. Aide Katie Kay, who had worked for Blair's advisor John Birt, had taken over the diary secretary job.[5]

On the campaign circuit, Garvey worked on Blair's behalf in the general election of 1997 and of 2001. A 2001 Telegraph story, "Babes on the Bus who keep the campaign journalists at bay", described Garvey as one of a band of females led by Anji Hunter who kept discipline on the political tour with their superior-to-male attention to detail.[6] In Blair's 2005 election, Garvey ran his election tour.

In his memoir A Journey, Blair reflected on Garvey's importance:

[She] was the gatekeeper, the custodian of the diary. There is a whole PhD thesis to be written by some smart political student about the importance of scheduling to a modern prime minister or president...She ran the diary with a grip of iron and was quite prepared to squeeze the balls very hard indeed of anyone who interfered, but with a winning smile of course.[7]

Public relations

After leaving government in 2005, Garvey worked on Bob Geldoff's charity campaign, Make Poverty History, which produced the Live 8 concerts.[1][8] That same year, she was hired by PR firm Freud Communications as the head of public and social affairs.[9]

A 2006 Daily Mail story about Matthew Freud noted several connections of Freud to New Labour. The hire of "clever and capable Kate Garvey...with a seat on the board...she was at this week's party" was mentioned as an example.[10]

Garvey was selected by the World Economic Forum in 2007[11] as a "Young Global Leader," a designation awarded to persons under 40 who have shown leadership qualities.[12][13]

Garvey is mentioned in a 2008 Telegraph profile on Matthew Freud as 'reportedly managing the Freud-Blair relationship'. The article describes an ongoing connection of Blair and Freud in terms of socializing (Freud throwing celebrity-attended parties) as well as Freud advising Tony and Cherie Blair on how to best exploit events such as the World Economic Forum's Davos retreat ('what parties to go to').[9]

A 2010 article by PR Week mentioned Garvey's clients as including the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, both held in London. Other clients included the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, Live Earth, the Maternal Mortality campaign, and Jordan's Queen Rania.[8] An earlier bio mentioned Garvey as having served the musician Bono.[1]

The London Live 8 concert, 2005, part of a charity campaign that Garvey helped arrange: pictured is musician Bono, a Garvey client, with his band U2. Image from the 2007 Word Economic Forum at Davos, the meeting where Garvey was named a Young Global Leader: pictured is Queen Rania of Jordan, a Garvey client.

Personal life

Garvey is currently married to Jimmy Wales, the co-founder of Wikipedia.[14] The marriage is Garvey's first and Wales's third. He has a child from his second marriage.[15]

The couple met in Monaco in 2009[14] and then began dating after meeting again at Davos.[16] They had both been Young Global Leaders in 2007.[14] In 2011, Wales moved to Britain.[14] As of February 2011, the couple were already engaged, with Garvey pregnant and near delivery. A daughter was later born.[14][16]

Garvey married Wales in October 2012 at Wesley's Church in London.[17][18] Labour politician guests included Neil Kinnock, Tony Blair, and David Miliband.[19][20] Celebrity guests included model Lily Cole and musician Mick Hucknall.[21]

Wesley's Chapel: site of Garvey's wedding
Church interior Church exterior

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c d "Executive Assistant and Personal Assistant Conference (speaker bio)". IQPC (International Quality and Productivity Center). 2008. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  2. ^ Blair, Cherie (2008). Speaking for myself: The autobiography. p. 173. ISBN 9781408700983.
  3. ^ "Peter breaks cover (again) as the Blairite battalions come out". 2010.
  4. ^ "Number Ten" (book review). The Economist. 16 March 2000. Retrieved 27 June 2013. Tony Blair's Diary Secretary, Kate Garvey, is situated close to his office, deliberately to guard his door and keep the diary running to time {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |year= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  5. ^ Aitkenhead, Decca (11 May 2005). "Behind closed doors: Until her resignation this week, Sally Morgan was one of the most powerful women in Britain, at Tony Blair's side for 10 years. Yet many outside the political world hadn't even heard of her". The Guardian. Retrieved 01 July 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ Brogan, Benedict (01 Jun 2001). "Babes on the Bus who keep the campaign journalists at bay". The Telegraph. Retrieved 01 July 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  7. ^ Blair, Tony (2010). A Journey. p. 20. ISBN 1409060950.
  8. ^ a b "The Freud Supremacy, section "FREUDS Who's who"". PR Week. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  9. ^ a b Harris, John (13 November 2008). "Inside the court of London's golden couple". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  10. ^ Levy, Geoffrey (21 September 2006). "Oh what a cosy bash!". Daily Mail. Retrieved 01 July 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  11. ^ "YGL Alumni - Search (for Garvey)". YGL Alumni Community. World Economic Forum. Retrieved 27 June 2013. Name: Kate Garvey; Year: 2007; Sector: ME-Media, Entertainment & Information; Stakeholder: YGL - Business; Country: United Kingdom; Region: Western Europe
  12. ^ "The Forum of Young Global Leaders". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 27 June 2013. The Forum of Young Global Leaders is a unique, multistakeholder community of more than 700 exceptional young leaders who share a commitment to shaping the global future.
  13. ^ "Kate Garvey". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  14. ^ a b c d e Amy Chozick (27 June 2013). "Jimmy Wales Is Not an Internet Billionaire". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  15. ^ Brown, Larisa (7 October 2012). "Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales marries Tony Blair's former diary secretary in star-studded ceremony... and Alastair Campbell played the bagpipes!". Daily Mail. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 01 July 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  16. ^ a b Edemariam, Aida (19 February 2011). "The Saturday interview: Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales". The Guardian. London: Guardian Media Group.
  17. ^ Donnelly, Laura (6 October 2012). "Wiki wedding: Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales marries Tony Blair's former aide". The Telegraph.
  18. ^ Smallman, Danny (18 January 2012). "Jimmy Wales: Mr Wikipedia on today's blackout". Evening Standard.
  19. ^ "Wiki wedding for Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and Tony Blair's former diary secretary". Hello! Daily News. 08 OCTOBER 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "POLITICY AND ECONOMY (222/506)". Retrieved 1 July 2013. Neil Kinnock and Glenys Kinnock arrives for the wedding of Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales to Tony Blair's former diary secretary, Kate Garvey at Wesley's Chapel, City of London, October 6, 2012. Photo by Fiona Hanson / i-Images / DyD Fotografos
  21. ^ Cullen, Drew (07 October 2012). "Wikipedia boss Jimmy Wales marries Kate Garvey:Tony Blair tips up at wedding". The Register. Retrieved 01JUL2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)

Further reading

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