Thomas Madden, CEO, TransMedia Group 

I always liked Saudi Arabia.  They’ve been our friend and a key ally.  My PR firm TransMedia Group has enjoyed highly-capable interns from there.  Bright, hard-working young college students who’ve been a great help to us.Now, that’s changed.Those of us who are crisis management counselors are shocked and appalled at how miserably Saudi Arabia, our country’s key partner in the Middle East, has dealt with this crisis.   They’ve literally f----- up.I’m sorry Saudi Arabia, but you have totally mishandled the international crisis surrounding the murder and disappearance of one of our journalists.Jamal Khashoggi went into your embassy, but never came out, at least not in one piece.Since then there have been nothing but mixed signals and messages coming out of Saudi Arabia like so many rockets exploding soon as they’re fired.If he’s not culpable himself, the Crown Prince at the very least is showing he’s not in control and desperately needs a crisis manager who’ll start by advising him to tell the truth, tell it himself and tell it right away or this disaster will surely worsen.

About the Author: Thomas Madden is CEO of TransMedia Group, one of the largest independent PR firms in Florida, where it currently operates. The firm’s clients have included AT&T, American Red Cross, City of New York, GL Homes, Jordache Enterprises, McCormick and Schmick’s, Rexall Sundown, Stanley Steemer.