Career moves including Compass Group and Aviva

Compass Group hires Kingfisher CFO

Compass Group has announced that Karen Witts has joined the UK’s largest catering firm as its new chief financial officer. She will succeed Johnny Thomson who will step down from his role by the end of the year. Prior to this, Witts was the CFO of retail group Kingfisher and previously held senior roles at Vodafone Group. She is also a non-executive director at tobacco group Imperial Brands.

Speaking on the new appointment, Compass Group CEO Dominic Blakemore said: “Her financial and operational expertise will be highly complementary to our team and she brings with her a wealth of experience in retail and technology.”

Aviva boss Mark Wilson steps down after five years

Mark Wilson, CEO of insurance group Aviva, has stepped down from his role after five years but will stay at the firm until a successor is found. He will be replaced by chairman Sir Adrian Montague on an interim basis.

Commenting on his exit, Wilson said: “I have achieved what I wanted to achieve and now it’s time for me to move on to new things. It has been an honour to lead Aviva through this period of immense change. I am happy I leave the company in a strong position from which it can thrive.”

LGIM reveals replacement CFO

London-based Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) has promoted Richard Lee from group performance director to chief financial officer. He will be replacing exiting CFO Siobhan Boylan who left the company to join investment group Brewin Dolphin. In his new role, Lee will report to LGIM CEO Mark Zinkula. Lee has been part of LGIM since 1997 and has served various senior roles including chief financial officer and chief risk officer in L&G Retirement.

Speaking on his promotion, Lee said: “I am looking forward to embarking on this new opportunity at an exciting time for LGIM and asset management in general, which is continuing to innovate as the industry evolves in response to changing client needs.”

Domino’s Pizza Group Plc appoints David Bauernfeind as CFO

International fast food franchise Domino’s Pizza has confirmed the role of interim CFO David Bauernfeind on a permanent basis. He will also join the board as an executive director. Bauernfeind has previously worked with specialist distributor Connect Group and technology services provider Xchanging. He is currently a non-executive director at technology group Gooch & Housego.

“I am delighted David is joining Domino’s at an exciting time for our business, with the prospect of further domestic and international growth on the horizon. He has considerable experience at this level, with growing and successful listed businesses like ours, which we believe makes him a perfect match for the fast-moving culture of Domino’s,” said CEO David Wild.

Patisserie Valerie finds accounting errors, suspends CFO

British café company Patisserie Valerie has parted ways with its chief financial officer Chris Marsh following accounting irregularities. Marsh was part of the company for the past twelve years and has helped Patisserie expand from eight stores to 200. The company also halted trading in its London-listed shares and refrained from commenting further on the news, citing confidentiality.

Finance boss appointed at gaming retailer

UK-based video game firm Game Digital has confirmed Ray Kavanagh as CFO from his interim role he has held since June this year. He was previously the interim director of corporate finance from January 2018. With over 20 years of experience, Kavanagh has served in senior executive roles in companies like House of Fraser.

Game Digital CEO Martyn Gibbs said: “He [Kavanagh] has a solid understanding of the retail sector and the right expertise to implement strategic and commercial initiatives from a finance perspective.”

Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) hires Mike Todd as CEO

The UK division of Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) has appointed Mike Todd as its chief executive officer. In his new role, Todd will oversee the strategic growth of the future business, replacing David Maloney. Todd re-joined VWFS after two years of working with Volkswagen Bank Ireland. He originally joined VWFS UK in 2000, where he served as chief commercial officer.

Speaking on his appointment, Todd said: “This is an exciting time for the motor finance industry as customer attitudes to car buying are clearly evolving with regards to the services they require from organisations such as ours. The UK remains one of the most important markets in Europe for automotive and motor finance and therefore I am delighted to be returning at this time.”

Airbus names Guillaume Faury as chief executive

European aerospace group Airbus has elevated the position of Guillaume Faury to the role of chief executive officer. Previously, he headed Airbus’ commercial aircraft division for eight months. Before that, Faury was in Airbus’ helicopter division where he spent most of his career. Faury is set to replace Tom Enders who will leave the company in April 2019.

Speaking on this promotion, Enders said: “With his strong values and international mindset, Guillaume stands for the new generation of leaders that Airbus needs for the coming decade.”

Bristol Airport hires new directors

Bristol Airport has announced the appointments of Jason Clark as chief financial officer and Graeme Gamble as chief operating officer. Clark joins Bristol from Condor Ferries where he worked as the finance chief. Gamble will replace retiring operations director Paul Davies. Gamble is currently working at air traffic control group NATS and will join Bristol in January 2019. He has previously worked with Civil Aviation Authority, London City Airport, and Cardiff Airport. The company also announced the promotion of Debbie Hartshorn to the post of people director.

CEO Dave Lees commented: “Jason, Graeme and Debbie bring a wealth of experience from inside and outside the aviation sector which will help us achieve our ambition to make Bristol Airport the first choice for air travel to and from the South West of the UK.”

Cenkos CEO steps down after 90% drop in profits

UK stockbroker Cenkos has announced the resignation of CEO Anthony Hotson following a sharp drop in profits. Hotson will exit the company after just one year in his role. He will leave step down from his role on October 31 but stay with the company till the end of the year. He had previously worked at Bank of England as an economist.

Clancy Group names Cannon as new CEO

Construction firm Clancy Group has promoted Matt Cannon as its chief executive officer with effect from 1 February 2019. Cannon is set to replace Seamus Keogh who will step down after his 20 years long service at the end of March 2019. Cannon has been part of the Clancy Group since 2004, where he joined the civil engineering business Clancy Docwra. Since 2016, he was the chief operating officer for Clancy Docwra. Prior to this, he played for London Irish and England Sevens as a professional rugby player.

Speaking on the promotion, Cannon said: “The Clancy Group is a family and I am very proud to follow in my grandfather’s and my uncles’ footsteps. They have built a fantastic business and it is a privilege to be given the opportunity to undertake this role.”

Catalyst Development appoints Didier Faure as CFO

Consultancy firm Catalyst Development has hired Didier Faure as the CFO as well as the COO. With over 20 years of experience, Faure joined Catalyst from CSL DualCom Group, where he served as the chief financial officer. Prior to this, he has held senior executive roles in AlixPartners and Grey Healthcare Group.

Speaking on the new appointment Catalyst CEO Andrew Middleton said: “Didier joins us at an extremely exciting time in Catalyst’s history and his expert knowledge will be a great asset to our growing company. Didier has a proven track record and will play a major role in our planned future acquisitions and subsequent integrations.”

Ovo Energy poaches Tesco chief

Bristol-based energy supplier Ovo Energy has announced the recruitment of Adrian Letts as its chief executive officer. Letts will join Ovo from grocer Tesco, where he worked as the chief executive officer. He has also co-founded the digital and on-demand television service Blinkbox which was bought by Tesco.

Ovo Founder and CEO Stephen Fitzpatrick said that Letts was “one of Europe’s stand-out talents in the digital economy and is joining Ovo at a time of profound change in the energy sector across the world”.

New appointments at Alterface

Belgium-based amusement park company Alterface has announced that Oliver Noel has joined as its chief financial officer. Noel has worked with renowned international firms and has experience with key performance indicators and business planning. The company also announced the appointment of Laurence Beckers as the group’s new creative director.

Ex-Exterion boss Shaun Gregory joins BTI Studios as CEO

Stockholm-based media group BTI Studios has named Shuan Gregory as the new chief executive officer. Gregory had recently worked with Exterion Media as chief executive, which he joined four years ago. Before joining Exterion, he held various senior roles with companies like Telefonica, EMAP and National Brands.

Speaking on his appointment, Gregory said: “I am excited to take on this role at BTI, particularly with digital media distribution’s rapid growth due to the ever-increasing demand, consumption and accessibility of new content on a worldwide basis. I look forward to continuing BTI’s global expansion.”

CEVA Logistics appoints Serge Corbel as new CFO

Netherlands-headquartered CEVA Logistics has hired Serge Corbel as the new chief financial officer with effect from October 15 2018. He will replace Peter Waller who has left to pursue opportunities outside the company. With 30 years of experience, Corbel has spent 25 years with shipping group CMA-CGM, where he led various acquisitions and integrations including Neptune Orient Lines and American President Lines (APL). He was most recently the CFO of Singapore-based APL.

“I would like to thank Peter Waller for his commitment and contribution which was very important to create a new chapter for the company. I am pleased to welcome Serge Corbel as our new CFO who has tremendous experience and a great track record in supporting the growth of a company,” said CEVA CEO Xavier Urbain.

Schenker’s Reiner Heiken to be new CEO of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics

Germany-based Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has announced the appointment of Reiner Heiken as the chief executive officer effective from 1 December 2018. He will replace interim CEO Thomas Knecht. Heiken is currently working with DB Schenker as the chief executive officer. Before joining DB Schenker in 2016, he worked for 19 years at Kuehne + Nagel. The company also announced that Chief Commercial Officer Jost Hellmann will step down from his role by the end of the year.

Denmark’s TDC hires new chief executive from Tele2

Danish telecoms group TDC has announced that it has appointed Allison Kirkby as the chief executive officer replacing Pernille Erenbjerg. In her new role, Kirkby will be responsible for splitting the company into two units of infrastructure and digital services. Prior to this, Kirkby had served as the CFO and CEO at Swedish company Tele2.

Pareto Securities telecoms analyst Stefan Ward said: “She has a good reputation; she has done well at Tele2. She has good control over costs, good executional skills when it comes to addressing inefficiencies, which definitely will be useful for TDC. For TDC, she is a very good recruitment.”

James Mason appointed Rochdale CEO

Football club Rochdale AFC has recruited James Mason as its new chief executive officer. Previously, Mason served Bradford City in a similar role for around four years. He was a BBC journalist and a partner in a sports and business consultancy. Mason will work closely with director William Goodwin, who has led the club during the summer months.

Commenting upon Mason’s appointment, Chris Dunphy, chairman of Rochdale AFC said, “I am delighted to welcome James on board. He is forward-thinking, driven and is highly regarded. His successes at Bradford City speak for themselves, so it is an exciting acquisition for the club. We have made great strides off the pitch in recent years and I believe James’ appointment is an important step on our journey. He will bring a new professionalism to Rochdale AFC and I have no doubt he will move the club forward. The board of directors and I look forward to working with him.”

Robert Walters appoints ex Barclaycard CEO as non-executive director

Recruitment specialist company Robert Walters has taken on board Steven Cooper as non-executive director. Cooper served as chief executive officer at Barclaycard Business. At Barclays Africa Group, he held the role of chief executive officer of personal banking across UK and Europe.

JEC Group announces new CEO

Paris-based composite materials firm JEC Group has appointed Eric Pierrejean as its CEO who will succeed Frédérique Mutel. Pierrejean’s role will include overseeing further development of the company’s growth under the leadership of Mutel. Prior to this role, Pierrejean was division general manager at Comexposium from 2011 to 2017. He also held several roles in the sales and marketing vertical and spent around 15 years in the automobile sector and the sports industry. JEC Group also hired Adeline Larroque as Show Director JEC World and EMEA Events.

Premium Credit announces new CFO

UK-based insurance service firm Premium Credit has promoted Andrew Chapman to the role of chief financial officer. Working as the CFO, Chapman will handle financial & management accounting, financial planning & analysis and treasury & investor relations. He will report to CEO Tom Woolgrove and plan the company’s strategy along with the executive committee and the board. Chapman has worked with the firm since 2004 in various departments of finance and treasury.

Speaking on the promotion, Woolgrove commented: “We are delighted to promote Andrew to the role of CFO. Andrew’s depth of business knowledge, his business acumen and his drive to better serve our clients and customers and to grow Premium Credit will serve him well in his new role.”

Doyle appointed Aer Lingus chief executive as Kavanagh steps down

Ireland-based carrier airline Aer Lingus has announced the resignation of CEO Stephen Kavanagh with effect from 1 January 2019. He will continue as a non-executive director on the board. He will be replaced by Sean Doyle, who will become the CEO and executive director. Kavanagh will leave the company after 30 years to pursue other interests.

Commenting on the resignation, International Airlines Group CEO Willie Walsh said: “Stephen has been an exceptional chief executive and has transformed and modernised Aer Lingus. We wish him all the very best for the future and heartfelt thanks for all his outstanding achievements.”

Prudential names Michael Falcon to lead North American business unit

London-based life insurance company Prudential has hired Michael Falcon as the chief executive officer and chairman of its North American business unit. He has recently served as the CEO of JP Morgan Asset Management’s retirement businesses in the US. Prior to this, he has worked with companies including Merrill Lynch’s Retirement Group and Chase Manhattan Bank.

Normand exits Swinton in leadership reshuffle

Salford-based insurance company Swinton has announced the resignation of its CEO Gilles Normand. He was replaced by CFO Scott Kennedy on an interim basis, while Emma Rawlinson was promoted from business strategy and performance director to CFO. Normand will remain an employee of Covea which sold Swinton to Ardonagh recently. Normand has been part of Swinton since 2015, where he was responsible for digitising the company.

“During his four year tenure, the business has been transformed and is well on its way to becoming a leading digital broker,” said a spokesperson from Swinton.

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