David S. Muir
Encyclopedia
David S Muir is a Scottish
marketing and political communications
professional. He was Director of Political Strategy for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
between 2008 and 2010.
. In 1988 attended the University of Glasgow
. In 1992 he graduated with a MA Hons 1st Class in Politics and Economics. He also won the Alistair Reid Prize for Politics for the outstanding study of politics and an ESU Scholarship to work with the US politician Byron Dorgan
. He later graduated from London Business School
with an Master of Business Administration
.
, becoming New Business Director until taking a leave of absence to complete his MBA in 1999. In 2001 he returned to Ogilvy where he focussed on expanding the group through organic growth and acquisitions. In 2003 he wrote with Jon Miller The Business of Brands, looking at how businesses could nurture and value their brands.
In 2005 he moved over to WPP
to take over "The Channel" from Mandy Pooler. There he helped develop WPP's research tool Brandz where he developed the BrandZ Top 100. While at The Channel he also developed Sportz which allows global brands to evaluate sponsorship opportunities.
's, Director of Political Strategy, replacing Spencer Livermore
who had left At Downing Street Muir was the Prime Ministers leading political adviser after Stephen Carter left. He along with Kirsty McNeill developed Brown's "No time for a novice speech" at the 2008 Labour Party Conference which was "warmly received".
He developed a close working relationship with the Obama campaign team and hired The Benenson Strategy Group where he worked closely with Joel Benenson
. He also worked closely with Peter Mandelson
and Philip Gould on the Labour Party
's 2010 general election campaign. He was the lead negotiator of the historic British TV Election Debates and was an early proponent of them.
He is believed to have argued for a hard edged attack on the Conservatives
and their threat to middle income earners. In particular he pushed for the campaign to focus on the threat the Conservative's posed to child tax credits. It is also believed that he supported Gordon Brown's decision not to serve a full term.
The campaign denied the Conservatives an overall majority and Muir was part of small team that spent the next five days in discussions with the Liberal Democrats
. Muir left Downing Street when Gordon Brown resigned in May 2010.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
marketing and political communications
Political communications
Political communication is a field of communications that is concerned with politics. Communication often influences political decisions and vice versa.-Fields and areas of Study:The field of political communication concern 2 main areas:...
professional. He was Director of Political Strategy for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
between 2008 and 2010.
Biography
Muir was born in Falkirk and attended his local comprehensive Falkirk High SchoolFalkirk High School
Founded in 1886, Falkirk High School had a strong tradition of academic, musical and sporting excellence.Until the era of comprehensive education it was one of the leading senior secondary schools in Scotland and every year pupils won major scholarships to Oxbridge and the ancient Scottish...
. In 1988 attended the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. In 1992 he graduated with a MA Hons 1st Class in Politics and Economics. He also won the Alistair Reid Prize for Politics for the outstanding study of politics and an ESU Scholarship to work with the US politician Byron Dorgan
Byron Dorgan
Byron Leslie Dorgan is a former United States Senator from North Dakota and is now a senior policy advisor for a Washington, DC law firm. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party. In the Senate, he was Chairman of the Democratic...
. He later graduated from London Business School
London Business School
London Business School is an international business school and a constituent college of the federal University of London, located in central London, beside Regent's Park...
with an Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
.
Career
In 1992 Muir joined the advertising agency Ogilvy & MatherOgilvy & Mather
Ogilvy & Mather is an international advertising, marketing and public relations agency based in Manhattan and owned by the WPP Group. The company operates 497 offices in 125 countries with approximately 16,000 employees.-History:...
, becoming New Business Director until taking a leave of absence to complete his MBA in 1999. In 2001 he returned to Ogilvy where he focussed on expanding the group through organic growth and acquisitions. In 2003 he wrote with Jon Miller The Business of Brands, looking at how businesses could nurture and value their brands.
In 2005 he moved over to WPP
WPP
WPP may refer to:* Windows software trace preprocessor* WPP plc, a London-based advertising holding company* Wandsworth Parks Police, a police service in London, England* Witness Protection Program, in USA...
to take over "The Channel" from Mandy Pooler. There he helped develop WPP's research tool Brandz where he developed the BrandZ Top 100. While at The Channel he also developed Sportz which allows global brands to evaluate sponsorship opportunities.
Downing Street
In 2008 Muir left WPP to become the British Prime Minister, Gordon BrownGordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
's, Director of Political Strategy, replacing Spencer Livermore
Spencer Livermore
Spencer Livermore is a strategy and communications professional. He is Director of Strategy at London-based communications consultancy Blue Rubicon, advising clients on strategy, communications, research and message development in the context of corporate and brand campaigns...
who had left At Downing Street Muir was the Prime Ministers leading political adviser after Stephen Carter left. He along with Kirsty McNeill developed Brown's "No time for a novice speech" at the 2008 Labour Party Conference which was "warmly received".
He developed a close working relationship with the Obama campaign team and hired The Benenson Strategy Group where he worked closely with Joel Benenson
Joel Benenson
Joel Benenson is an American pollster and political strategist, most widely known for his guiding role in Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. He was Obama's lead pollster during his campaign, and continues to conduct research and polls for the Democratic National Committee...
. He also worked closely with Peter Mandelson
Peter Mandelson
Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, served in a number of Cabinet positions under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and was a European Commissioner...
and Philip Gould on the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
's 2010 general election campaign. He was the lead negotiator of the historic British TV Election Debates and was an early proponent of them.
He is believed to have argued for a hard edged attack on the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and their threat to middle income earners. In particular he pushed for the campaign to focus on the threat the Conservative's posed to child tax credits. It is also believed that he supported Gordon Brown's decision not to serve a full term.
The campaign denied the Conservatives an overall majority and Muir was part of small team that spent the next five days in discussions with the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
. Muir left Downing Street when Gordon Brown resigned in May 2010.