UHNWI Reputation Management
Michael Macfarlane Associates advises UHNWI families and Family Offices on matters of reputation management in a world powered by algorithms and artificial intelligence.
We build and manage resilient and resistant reputations through a synthesis of content with deep tech and we specialise in managing periods of challenge and change.
Our approach
The Michael Macfarlane Associates Private Office builds, curates and manages reputations online and in the global media through proprietary strategies built around profile attribute diversification.
Profile attribute diversification
Curating a contemporary reputation requires a deep understanding of the behaviour and diversity preferences of search algorithms and the role of media, content and data.
By curating and substantiating multiple attributes of a persona, search results more accurately reflect a contemporary reputation and also become more resilient and resistant.
Strategic profile attribute diversification is vital to reputation as the world migrates from algorithm-search that curates an index of web pages in favour of AI-search providing answers directly.
A curatorial approach to reputation
Our comprehensive strategies for curating resilient and resistant reputations through profile attribute diversification encompass content, media, intelligence, structured data, deep tech and AI.
Creativity and storytelling is also at the heart of our strategies for building substance into profile attributes in order to curate online and global media personas that are authentic.
We also transact directly mediated outcomes by instigating new initiatives and by engaging directly with media and content owners, especially during periods of challenge and change.
“Our curative approach combines with our proprietary deep to support the build of compelling and authentic stories in the global media and also the management of search results. As a Private Office we also have the latitude to work closely with clients to advise on real-world activities that will support building a legacy or reputation outcome.”
Michael Macfarlane, Principal & Founder
Our specialisms
Our holistic and creative strategies support the navigation of complex situations and the creation and elevation of authentic, resilient and resistant reputations online and in the global media.
It is not only individuals and institutions who are unprepared for a world of democratised media where reputation will be mediated by AI. Many PR agencies remain wedded to outmoded precepts about mediating reputation through the legacy media.
Our holistic and creative solutions for managing reputation utilise our significant media contacts and expertise to support PR and media coverage, but as a tactical component that can be leveraged within our comprehensive strategies.
01
UHNWI
We build and protect the reputations of principal families and actively manage their reputation and objectives online and in the worldwide media.
02
Family Office
We enable Family Offices to attain better outcomes across all areas of activity, with a special focus on building reputations online and in the media.
03
Special Situations
We elevate the underlying story during the moments that matter to restore, reinforce and evolve a primary narrative during times of crisis and reputation risk.
04
Philanthropy
We turn wealth into worth through the elevation of philanthropic projects and we synthesise the concept of worth into online and media personas.
05
Intelligence
We deploy deep intelligence services to help manage risk and reputation in sensitive family matters including worldwide litigation support.
06
Litigation & Crisis
We built resilient and resistant strategies for crises and litigation support that change the balance of risk whilst protecting reputation.
01) UHNWI
The Michael Macfarlane Associates Private Office is specialist in the build, curation and protection of UHNWIs online and in the global media using a synthesis of PR, content and technology.
Holistic reputation management for an AI world
We believe that in a world where sentiment and reputation are mediated not by legacy media but by algorithms and by AI, reputation management must extend far beyond PR and communications and into creative and holistic solutions that interplay content, media, data and technology.
Trust, intelligence and discretion
As a Private Office specialised in reputation management for UHNWIs we have an intrinsic understanding and experience of most risks and challenges. As trusted principal advisors to UHNWIs we also have the latitude to advise upon and to execute more comprehensive and far reaching solutions.
02) Family Office
The Michael Macfarlane Associates Private Office is specialist in collaborating with Family Offices to provide reputation management as risk management solutions to enable private and commercial outcomes.
Reputation management as risk management
Proactive reputation management enables Single Family Office principals and Multi-Family Office clients to act and to transact without limitation. The contemporary regulatory environment and media climate demand that reputation be substantiated. Family Offices must also mitigate against negative sentiment or adverse media coverage by actively building a resilient reputation.
Michael Macfarlane Associates works with Family Offices on a portfolio of matters for UHNWI's including reputation building, crisis management, litigation and philanthropy related objectives.
The Private Office also supports Family Offices in attaining a category-leading position to support deal flow; and for the provision of tactical PR and communications support for subsidiary and portfolio companies.
Built upon deep trust and collaboration
Our values of trust, intelligence and discretion support closely held relationships between the Michael Macfarlane Associates Private Office and Family Offices worldwide. Deep collaboration and integration with Family Offices, Law Firms and advisors is engrained within our on house teams operating from offices in London, Hong Kong and Lisbon.
As a Private Office we also have the latitude to advise Family Offices and their principals on the adoption of comprehensive projects and activities that can substantiate a reputation.
In a Family Office world that is typically conservative, Michael Macfarlane Associates also synthesises creativity and storytelling into intelligent strategies that can change the quantum of risk for a range of private and commercial outcomes.
03) Special Situations
We elevate the underlying story during the moment that matter to restore, reinforce and evolve a primary narrative during times of crisis and reputation risk.
Situation preparedness and mitigation
Our comprehensive strategies synthesise a content-led approach with world-class technical capability and AI tools to support ownership and defence of an underlying reputation.
We build robust and sustainable constellations of owned, third party and editorial content that sustain Google SERP profiles and elevate the underlying story during the moments that matter.
Situation responsive solutions
Our responsive strategies support the navigation of complex situations and the creation and elevation of content assets that renew or restore an underlying reputation.
We build synergistic portfolios of proprietary content combined with editorial, sponsored, third party and influencer content to restore, reinforce and evolve the primary narrative.
04) Philanthropy
We help UHNWIs, Family Offices, Foundations and Institutional clients to turn wealth into worth through the creation and management of philanthropic projects and we synthesise worth into reputation.
Navigating a paradigm shift in expectations
We enable clients to navigate the paradigm shift toward a cultural expectation that wealth holders will embrace their responsibility to contribute positive change in the world by launching and managing philanthropic foundations and projects.
Deploying a Circle Of Virtue methodology
Our Circle Of Virtue methodology enables individuals and institutions to build authentic reasons for being into their online persona and to synthesise philanthropy into their reputation whilst simultaneously elevating their philanthropic cause.
Supporting a sustainable change
We transform and evolve personas and we create powerful voices of authority who can champion and support sustainable global change. We elevate philanthropic ambitions and we enable philanthropic projects to flourish and to tell their stories.
Synthesising technology into storytelling
We operate at the intersection of deep tech and media where stories are not mediated entirely by the legacy media and conventional PR is not a strategic outcome, but a tactical input; and we deeply integrate AI into our algorithmic strategies.
“Michael Macfarlane Associates instigated the creation of our new Foundation and within 24 months we had cured over 30,000 people of cataract blindness in the world's poorest communities. They transformed the global profile of our Foundation and gave us a disproportionately loud voice in the global media and sustainable development community.”
Dr Sanduk Ruit, Winner of 2023 Isa Award For Services To Humanity
“Michael and his team launched and branded my philanthropic Foundation and aligned it with my ambition to build a legacy of sustainable global change. They evolved my persona into that of a serious international philanthropist and established my voice as a global expert with top tier PR.”
UHNWI Philanthropist, United Kingdom
A philanthropy case study
The brief
To conceive and launch a Foundation for a UHNWI patron who wanted to combat extreme poverty by making large-scale interventions to cure untreated blindness in the developing world.
To build the new Foundation from the ground up and to engage in content generation and storytelling in order to capture a share of voice with which to advocate for wider systemic change.
The outcome
40,000+ people living in the world's poorest communities have been cured of blindness at microsurgical outreach camps as the NGO targets 500,000 cures by 2030.
The activities of the NGO have been the subject of major stories by tier one global news agencies and its philanthropist backer has become a key global voice in sustainable development.
05) Intelligence
Our global team and affiliates have worked on private client matters for UHNWIs, Family Offices, senior political figures and global business leaders in both offensive and defensive matters.
Digital surveillance
Our strategies include endemic AI-powered SERP monitoring and global social listening. We actively track all mentions across all medias on all channels including social media, in all languages, and we measure online reaction and sentiment in real time.
Cyber analysis
We use a proprietary cyber analytics database to assess the global touch points of individuals and companies to provide the information needed to support a matter. This capability can support fast-moving decisions during special situations.
Open source investigations
We use advanced tools and techniques to build the intelligence picture by examining publicly available information to gather relevant evidence or identify inconsistencies in order to present factual findings that support a matter.
Human source investigations
Leveraging our connections and drawing from a vast network of trusted contacts and resources, we discreetly conduct human source investigations to collect critical information from individuals who may possess valuable insights.
06) Litigation & Crisis
Our team works closely with law firms to manage and protect reputations during national and cross border litigation including offensive and defensive strategies for dealing with combative parties.
Proactive mitigation and active management
The global team of Michael Macfarlane Associates works closely with clients to build reputation resilience and resistance in anticipation of contentious matters or adverse news flow.
Our Private Office also has extensive experience executing mitigation, clarification and containment strategies with local and global media during litigation proceedings.
We also support tactical decision making during litigation through the utilisation of our intelligence capabilities.
Rebuilding a post-litigation reputation
Many clients first engage our Private Office in response to a litigation or legally contentious matter that has been portrayed in the media in a manner that undermines or damages reputation.
We are experts in ascertaining the true position and curating a refreshed online and media profile that reinforces the true position and primary reputation narrative.
Our focus on the interplay between content, data, algorithms and AI supports the curation of search to suppress adverse results.