New venture for ex-soldier who created Afghan ‘Millionaire’ New PR agency for former Grenadier Guardsman who held Taliban talks
THE man behind the Afghanistan hit version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? has returned to Birmingham and is fronting his own PR agency.
It is another twist in the fascinating career of Sutton Coldfield’s Alan Barry, a man who served as a Grenadier Guardsman in Ireland before travelling the world as a top marketing director.
The 53-year-old once held meetings with the Taliban in Kandahar, Afghanistan, while attempting to introduce mobile phone networks to the troubled country.
He has written a book about his experiences, Salesman with an AK-47, and over the last two years has made national newspaper headlines as founder and leading light of Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans.
The 25,000-strong group was set up in protest over the prosecution of former soldiers for alleged wrong-doing during The Troubles.
But Mr Barry believes he has paid a heavy price for the work – and not just financially.
“The biggest problem is I’ve virtually made myself unemployable because of the media publicity and coverage Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans has received,” said the businessman.
“These days, the first thing employers do is google you. They see someone who is comfortable with people in politics.”
They also see someone a little too high profile – even controversial – for their liking.
“I feel very passionate about Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans,” Mr Barry said. “I have not been paid for doing it and it has virtually become a full-time job.”
Now Mr Barry’s new company “Alan Barry PR and Media Consultancy” has hit the ground running.
He has already been approached by SAS and Iranian Embassy siege hero Rusty Firmin. The pair stage a talk and book signing at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall on September 21. But he stressed his new venture is not military-based.
His expertise is in raising the profile of companies, pushing them into the public domain.
“Without blowing my own trumpet, all the PR and media for Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans has been down to me. I built it from zero. That’s what I do,” he said.
“I did all the publicity for my book and got more coverage than a lot of authors backed by major publishers.”
His are marketing skills gained in the toughest of environments, Afghanistan’s troubled wilderness.
It was there, he gained an unusual claim to fame. Mr Barry gave quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? to the nation. For the record, one million AFN – the country’s currency – is worth 16,000 US dollars.
“I was working for Afghanistan Wireless,” explained Mr Barry, “a company that also owned the main TV station and we were looking at customer retention.
“I used to watch Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and found out who owned the rights to the programme. We bought the rights and the set.
“It proved hugely successful.”