Kantar poaches former ITV exec Ian Griffiths as new finance director January 7, 2020 Market research firm Kantar today said it has appointed ex-ITV bigwig Ian Griffiths as its new chief financial officer. Griffiths, who has served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer at the broadcaster before announcing his departure in 2018 , will take up the new role on 16 January. Read more: Kantar boss to [...]
UK stocks 2020: Which shares are City A.M. staff backing in the new year? December 30, 2019 The UK stock market looks set to end the year on a high after the Tories’ election win and progress in US-China trade talks alleviated the uncertainty that has weighed on markets for months. But the road ahead is far from clear, with the looming Brexit date of 31st January and various upcoming trade negotiations [...]
WPP offloads stake in sports marketing agency Two Circles December 16, 2019 WPP today announced it has sold a majority stake in sports marketing agency Two Circles to New York-based private equity firm Bruin Sports Capital. Two Circles, which sat in WPP’s Group M division, analyses data on sports fans across the world to create marketing campaigns. It counts the Premier League, UEFA, Formula 1, and Wimbledon [...]
WPP kicks off £300m share buyback December 12, 2019 WPP today said it has entered into an agreement with Goldman Sachs to buy back up to £300m in shares, following its $4bn sale of market research firm Kantar. Shares are up just over two per cent on the news. The advertising giant said the share buyback programme will begin today and continue until 18 [...]
Kantar boss to step down after London knife attack December 10, 2019 Kantar chief executive Eric Salama is set to step down from the top job next year, citing “personal priorities” after he was stabbed in an attack in west London in January. The data and consultancy business today announced that Salama, who has run the firm for 17 years, will step aside in 2020 following a [...]
Government’s halted Brexit ad campaign cost taxpayers £5m November 27, 2019 Boris Johnson’s ad campaign urging people and businesses to prepare for leaving the EU on 31 October cost taxpayers almost £5m in just a month. The government unveiled a £100m “Get Ready for Brexit” campaign at the end of August, promising an advertising blitz across billboards, TV and radio, as well as a revamped website. [...]
Former Man Group president Jonathan Sorrell to join Capstone November 12, 2019 The former president of FTSE 250-listed hedge fund Man Group Jonathan Sorrell is joining hedge fund Capstone. Sorrell, son of former WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell, stepped down as an executive director of Man Group in September. He had been at Man Group since 2011 when he joined as chief financial officer. Previously, he had [...]
Sir Martin Sorrell: Post-Brexit economy should be ‘Singapore on steroids’ November 12, 2019 Advertising veteran Sir Martin Sorrell has called on the government to pursue a “Singapore on steroids” strategy for the UK economy after Brexit. The former WPP boss, who now runs digital ad firm S4 Capital, said the UK should seek to establish a free-market, pro-business economy similar to that of the Asian financial hub. Read [...]
Fimalac builds £500m digital ad firm with Jellyfish deal November 5, 2019 Fimalac, the group owned by French billionaire Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, has bought a majority stake in London-based digital marketing agency Jellyfish as it seeks to compete in an increasingly online advertising landscape. Fimalac data-driven marketing specialist Tradelab will be merged with Jellyfish, the companies said, to create a combined entity with a market capitalisation [...]
DEBATE: Will Uber’s move into banking succeed or fail? November 4, 2019 Can Uber graduate from taxi rank to taxi bank after announcing its move into financial services? YES, says Andrew Mitchell, vice president at JCB. Uber’s drivers are its bedrock. And growing driver service and revenue options without earth-shattering outlays is shrewd indeed. As such, Uber Money is a logical step to maximise its digital-lifestyle standing [...]