Global Counsel, the lobbying firm co-founded by Peter Mandelson, was hired by Chinese pharmaceutical company WuXi AppTec to advise on European policy issues, months after the firm was targeted in a US national security crackdown. The contract, worth $3 million, was signed in 2024 to help mitigate geopolitical risks and manage the international fallout from allegations linking WuXi AppTec to the Chinese military and human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
WuXi AppTec was named in a US biosecurity bill in January 2024 over alleged ties to a foreign adversary's military and intelligence agencies. In response, the company sought Global Counsel's assistance to soften the impact on its global reputation and operations. Global Counsel stated it only worked on European policy issues and had registered the contract on the EU's transparency register.
The appointment came under scrutiny after Mandelson was appointed UK ambassador to Washington in February 2025, with critics questioning his dovish stance on China. He was sacked in September 2025 after disclosures about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson stepped down as chair of Global Counsel in May 2024 and stopped advising the business in December 2024, though he retains a minority stake that is being divested.
Global Counsel's work with WuXi AppTec is led by CEO Benjamin Wegg-Prosser, a former Downing Street communications head. WuXi AppTec has refuted the allegations against it, with chair Ge Li signing an open letter rejecting the 'misguided' bill. The US biosecurity bill ultimately failed to pass the Senate in 2024, but a softer version was endorsed in September 2025, omitting mention of WuXi companies.
