Good Relations has suffered a setback after losing a major client to the new lobbying shop set up by its former public affairs supremo James O’Keefe.

Engineering giant AMEC informed Good Relations MD Teresa-Ann Dunleavy of its decision to switch the account two weeks ago – just as the agency was gearing up for the Labour Conference.

It comes shortly after O’Keefe persuaded four of his old colleagues to join him at his new firm, called Tetra Strategy.

AMEC carries out consultancy, engineering and project management servi­ces across a range of industries. They include the oil and gas, petrochemical, power generation, pharmaceutical, defence, chemical, water and mining industries.

Tetra Strategy will lobby ministers and officials to ens­ure that AMEC’s name is in the frame when major public infrastructure projects are discussed. It will also have to lobby on nuclear power as AMEC is a major player in the new build of nuclear power stations in the UK.

O’Keefe recently raided his old agency for four of its lobbyists (PRWeek, 14 September).

The most senior member of Good Relations to defect to Tetra is director Lee Petar. Senior account executives Heidi Moore and Ruwan Kodi-Kara and acc­ount exe­cutive Katherine Nicholls have also jumped ship. It is understood that at least one of the quartet worked on the AMEC account.

O’Keefe, who quit as MD Good Relations Political in June, confirmed the win but declined to comment further.