Rachel Whetstone
Rachel Marjorie Joan Whetstone (born 22 February 1968[1]) is a public relations executive. She is currently senior vice-president of communications and public policy for Uber. She was in a similar position at Google till June 2015.[2]
Her maternal-grandfather was Antony Fisher, founder of many libertarian think tanks, including the Institute of Economic Affairs, the Atlas Economic Research Foundation and the Adam Smith Institute. Her mother is Linda Whetstone, who has been involved with several of Fisher's think tanks. Raised in East Sussex, Whetstone attended Benenden School and then read history at Bristol University.[3]
Upon graduation she joined Conservative Central Office, advising then-Home Secretary Michael Howard.[3] She subsequently entered the private sector, working for One2One and Portland PR, before returning to Westminster in 2003 as Political Secretary to Howard when he became Conservative Party leader. When Howard stood down following the general election in 2005, she returned to the private sector, joining Google in California.[3]
In May 2015 it was announced that in June 2015 Whetstone will become senior vice-president of policy and communications at transportation network company Uber, replacing the promoted David Plouffe who is to become chief adviser to the company.[2]
Personal life
Whetstone is married to Steve Hilton whom she met after an affair with William Astor, 4th Viscount Astor (stepfather to Samantha Cameron), in the lead-up to the 2005 election.[4] The couple were godparents to Ivan Cameron, the late eldest child of David Cameron.[3]
In February 2013, Whetstone was assessed as one of the 100 most powerful women in the United Kingdom by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.[5]
References
- ↑ "BBC Radio 4 – Woman's Hour, Woman's Hour Power List – Rachel Whetstone". BBC News. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
- 1 2 http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/14/rachel-whetstone-quits-google-role-join-uber-stock-exchange
- 1 2 3 4 Giles Hattersley (26 March 2006). "Power couple behind the new Tory throne". The Sunday Times.
- ↑ "Powers behind the throne". The Telegraph. 31 May 2008. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
- ↑ BBC Radio 4, Woman's Hour Power list
External links
- Power couple behind the new Tory throne from the Sunday Times.
- Article by Adam Curtis about think tanks, featuring Rachel Whetstone from the BBC
