Yvette Cleland, a recruitment CEO whose company Clinical Professionals Group saw massive financial gains during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now a regional director for the Great British PAC, a political action committee with connections to right-wing and populist figures. Cleland's firm, which specializes in pharmaceutical and life sciences placements, was acquired by an American company in a multi-million-pound deal, cementing her status as a significant player in the sector. Public statements from Cleland reveal her role in bringing the Fentanyl patch to the UK market, a drug at the center of the global opioid crisis.
Cleland's professional success in the pharmaceutical industry runs parallel to her increasing involvement in politics. As the Director for South Central England at the Great British PAC, she is part of a leadership team that includes former Brexit Party MEP Ben Habib, Conservative peer Lord Hannan, and controversial commentator Carl Benjamin. The organization aims to "save the country" and operates as a political action committee, a model more common in US politics.
This investigation highlights the intersection of significant financial interests derived from the pharmaceutical sector, including from the pandemic, and the funding and direction of UK political movements.
Key Findings:
- Political Operative: Yvette Cleland is listed as the Regional Director for South Central England for the Great British PAC.
- Pharma Fortune: Cleland was the CEO of Clinical Professionals Group, a major life sciences recruitment firm. The group's parent company, CPL Industries PLC, reported a €102.7 million profit after tax in 2020. In 2021, CPL was acquired in a €317.8 million deal.
- Fentanyl Link: In a 2018 interview, Cleland stated she was part of the team that "brought the first Fentanyl patch to the market in the UK." Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid implicated in hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths worldwide.
- COVID Profits: During the pandemic, the pharmaceutical recruitment sector, in which Cleland's company was a key player, experienced a surge. Records for Clinical Professionals' Irish parent company show profits more than doubling in the year to June 2020.
- High-Profile PAC Associates: The Great British PAC's advisory board includes prominent figures from the right of British politics, such as former Brexit Party MEP Ben Habib, Conservative peer Lord Hannan, and social media figure Carl Benjamin (also known as "Sargon of Akkad").
Full Investigation
The Great British PAC and Political Influence
Yvette Cleland is listed on the official website of the Great British PAC as its Regional Director for South Central England. The organization, which styles itself on American Political Action Committees, claims its mission is to "save the country".
The PAC's advisory board features several high-profile and controversial figures. These include Chairman Ben Habib, a former Brexit Party MEP; Lord Hannan, a Conservative peer and prominent Brexiteer; and Carl Benjamin, a YouTuber who gained notoriety under the name "Sargon of Akkad" and was previously a member of UKIP. The PAC's leadership team also includes individuals associated with right-wing and populist causes.
Pharmaceutical Business and Pandemic Profits
Prior to her role with the Great British PAC, Yvette Cleland was the CEO of the Clinical Professionals Group, a recruitment agency specializing in the life sciences sector. The firm was part of the Irish-based CPL Industries PLC.
Company records for CPL Industries PLC show a significant increase in profitability during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the financial year ending 30th June 2020, the company reported a profit after tax of €102.7 million. This represents a substantial increase on previous years. The company's annual reports point to the life sciences sector as a major driver of this growth.
In January 2021, CPL, including its Clinical Professionals subsidiary, was acquired by Japanese firm Outsourcing Inc for €317.8 million.
Links to Fentanyl Market Launch
In a 2018 interview with Executive Grapevine, a recruitment industry publication, Cleland discussed her career history. She stated: "My initial sales role was working for Janssen Pharmaceuticals where I was part of the team that brought the first Fentanyl patch to the market in the UK".
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. While it has legitimate medical uses for severe pain management, it has also become a major driver of the opioid crisis, particularly in North America, leading to a significant number of overdose deaths.
Money/Fundraising Trail
The Great British PAC solicits donations from the public via its website to fund its political activities. As a political action committee, it operates to influence political discourse and elections. Given Cleland's considerable wealth accumulated from the pharmaceutical recruitment industry, questions arise regarding the extent of her own financial contributions to the PAC and other associated political causes. These contributions are not immediately transparent in public records.
Timeline
- 2018: Yvette Cleland, as CEO of Clinical Professionals, states in an interview that she was part of the team that brought the first Fentanyl patch to the UK market.
- June 2020: Clinical Professionals' parent company, CPL Industries PLC, reports post-tax profits of €102.7 million for the financial year, a period covering the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- January 2021: CPL Industries PLC is acquired by Outsourcing Inc for €317.8 million.
- 2024 (and onwards): Yvette Cleland is listed as a Regional Director for the Great British PAC.