MASSIVE ‘MANHUNT’ IN U.K. FOR NAJIB’S PR GURU: BRITISH PLAYBOY PAUL STADLEN – AND NOW BLACK SHEEP OF THE FAMILY – THE TALK OF LONDON OVER LINK TO MALAYSIA’S ‘CROOK’ EX-PM NAJIB RAZAK

With his apartment in a gleaming 38-floor block that boasted a rooftop “sky gym”, an infinity swimming pool and sweeping city views, Paul Stadlen enjoyed the high life as media adviser to Malaysia’s most powerful man.

But the 39-year-old Briton, a regular on Kuala Lumpur’s nightlife scene, hastily abandoned these luxurious trappings and vanished in the hours after his boss, Najib Razak, was toppled as Malaysian prime minister in a shock election defeat.Najib and his free-spending wife now face charges of financial crimes related to an alleged multibillion-dollar fraud — and Malaysia’s anti-corruption commissioners are looking for Stadlen, too. They want the well-connected British public relations man to assist with their investigation into one of the world’s largest financial scandals……

His father, Eric, who died in 1995, was a veteran BBC journalist who helped train several broadcasting stars of recent decades, including the young Jeremy Paxman. His uncle, Peter, was a concert pianist and Daily Telegraph music critic and his aunt, Hedi, was a prominent philosopher and grand-niece of the composer Johann Strauss Jr.

Other relatives include Matthew Stadlen, the LBC presenter; Tommy Stadlen, a tech entrepreneur and bestselling author now based in Silicon Valley; Sir Nicholas Stadlen, a retired High Court judge; and Godfrey Stadlen, a former senior civil servant.

After graduating with a first in English from Leeds University, Stadlen initially followed his father into journalism, working on various BBC shows and writing occasionally for newspapers. But he soon migrated into the world of public relations, joining Apco Worldwide, the public affairs giant.

He won accolades as “best newcomer” and “young professional of the year” from PR industry publications — and, at the age of 30, he was posted to Malaysia to lead Apco’s operations there in 2009, the year that Najib became prime minister.

Stadlen headed Najib’s foreign press operations as the [1MDB] crisis deepened. He was dismissive of media that investigated the scandal, resolutely defending Najib. He circulated scathing attacks on Najib’s political opponents and briefed against Clare Rewcastle Brown, a British journalist who runs Sarawak Report.

When questions were raised by opposition MPs in parliament about Stadlen’s role, the prime minister’s department issued a statement that he was not being paid a salary by the government.

Whatever his financial arrangements, Stadlen handled media inquiries for Najib until election night six months ago, when his messages to journalists ended and he stopped answering his phone. [To read the full article click here]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk