Aegis Names New CFO and Non-Exec Directors

Synovate parent Aegis has promoted Nick Priday to the position of Group Chief Financial Officer, replacing Alicja Lesniak, who is retiring in October. The firm has also appointed three Non-Executive Directors.

Priday, who has held a number of finance roles since joining in 2003, most recently worked as Director of Financial Reporting, Analysis and Control. For the previous seven years he was an Audit Manager at Ernst & Young, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He takes up his new role on 1 September.

Before joining Aegis in 2007, Lesniak worked for Omnicom for 11 years; seven of which were spent as CFO of its agency BBDO EMEA. She previously worked for Ogilvy & Mather, JWT, and WPP.

'I have enjoyed being part of Aegis. Good progress has been made as the group evolves to meet the challenges of tough markets and the needs of clients,' Lesniak stated. 'I am delighted to see Nick appointed, having helped develop him as my successor.'

In addition, Aegis has appointed John Brady, Simon Laffin and Dr Martin Read as Non-Executive Directors, replacing Bernard Fournier, Leslie Van de Walle and Daniel Farrar who retired at the AGM in May. All three will take up their posts on 1 August, when Laffin will become Chairman of the Audit Committee. Brendan O'Neill also retires from the Board as a Non-Executive Director on 1 October.

From 2007 to 2008, Laffin served as a Non-Executive Director of Northern Rock, as part of the bank's rescue team. During his career, he has worked as Group CFO of UK grocery retailer Safeway, and held a variety of finance and management roles in Mars Confectionery, Rank Xerox and BP.

Brady previously worked for McKinsey & Company, where he held a range of senior roles including responsibility for the consultancy's European Retail and Marketing practices. He currently sits on the Boards of Greene King and Invest Northern Ireland.

Read was formerly CEO of Logica, prior to which he held a variety of positions at GEC Marconi, International Paint and Overseas Containers. He is currently a member of the International Advisory Board of the CBI, and previously served as Non-Executive Director of British Airways, Siemens Holdings, Boots and ASDA.

Chairman and Interim CEO John Napier said the appointments complete the major part of the reorganisation of the Aegis Board. He welcomed Priday to his new role and also thanked Lesniak and O'Neill for the contribution they have made to the group.

In May, Aegis announced plans to cut around 780 jobs across its global operations as part of a cost-saving plan to beat the downturn. At the time, pre-tax profits fell 5.4% year-on-year to £124.6m.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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