More News » Career moves including Aviva, Go-Ahead and Intu

Career moves including Aviva, Go-Ahead and Intu

CFOs, finance directors and other senior directors on the move in the UK and elsewhere.

Aviva CFO steps down ahead of rumoured reorganisation

Insurance company Aviva has announced that its new CEO Maurice Tulloch is set announce a restructure. CFO Tom Stoddard will step down on 30 June and resign from his director role. Stoddard will stay with the company until December to ensure a smooth handover. UK CFO Jason Windsor will succeed Stoddard on an interim basis, subject to regulatory approval. Tulloch has reorganised the management team and moved business leaders onto the senior leadership team.

Commenting upon stepping down, Stoddard said: “Whilst I will miss all the friends I have made here, Aviva has a strong finance team, and it is now time for me to clear the way for others to step up, as I consider new opportunities. Aviva is in a strong financial position with a bright future ahead of it. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Maurice and I wish him, Jason, and everyone who works for Aviva all the best for the future.”

Go-Ahead Group appoints Elodie Brian as permanent CFO

Passenger transport provider Go-Ahead Group has confirmed Elodie Brian as its permanent chief financial officer. Brian has held the interim CFO role since December 2018 and has worked at Southeastern as the finance and contracts director.

“I am delighted that Elodie can build on the impact she has already made to the business in the past six months.  Her continuing support of the Group’s strategy and her wealth of experience in rail will contribute considerably to our future success.  Her appointment is testament to her leadership skills and evidence of the strength of talent that we have within Go-Ahead,” said David Brown, Go-Ahead chief executive.

Intu appoints new chief financial officer

Retail property group Intu has appointed Robert Allen as its chief financial officer, effective from 10 June. Allen joins from Crest Nicholson, where he worked for two years. Before that, he worked with British American Tobacco in various senior finance positions.

Commenting upon the appointment, Intu’s CEO Matthew Roberts said: “I am delighted that Robert is joining us. He will bring to Intu his extensive and highly relevant experience of refinancings, M&A, treasury, IT and investor relations, helping drive our strategy of delivering strong underlying centre performance, adapting to the fast-changing retail environment and making smart use of capital. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Barbara Gibbes for undertaking this role on an interim basis.”

Gulf Keystone’s CFO Sami Zouari to step down

Oil and gas exploration and production company Gulf Keystone announced that its CFO Sami Zouari will step down in the second half of the year, no later than 2 December. Heading the financial and commercial activities at GKP, he held the CFO position since January 2015. GKP will appoint a search firm to recruit a successor for Zouari.

“Since joining, he has played a key role in the strategic turnaround of the business, in particular leading the 2016 implementation of a new capital structure, materially strengthening the Company’s balance sheet and bringing about a significant debt reduction,” GKP stated.

Bank of Ireland appoints Ian McLaughlin UK CEO

Bank of Ireland has named Ian McLaughin as its UK chief executive, subject to regulatory approval. The present CEO Des Crowley will retain his position until McLaughin assumes this role to ensure a smooth handover. Crowley will retire after spending over 30 years in Bank of Ireland.

CEO of Bank of Ireland, Francesca McDonagh said: “I am delighted to welcome Ian McLaughlin as chief executive, Bank of Ireland UK. Ian brings significant experience in UK banking having served in a number of senior financial services roles. Ian has a deep knowledge of the competitive UK banking market with a particular understanding of the UK mortgage market and joins at an exciting time for the organisation, as we continue to transform our culture, our systems, and our business model.”

Curtis Banks Group appoints Dan Cowland as CFO

Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) provider Curtis Banks Group has recruited Dan Cowland to be its new chief financial officer, effective from 8 July. Cowland joins from WH Ireland Group, where he served as the finance director for five years. Before that, he worked at Shore Capital Stockbrokers as the finance director. The current CFO Paul Tarran will stay as a member of the board to ensure a smooth transition period.

Nektan names GVC’s Hay as new CFO

Gaming platform and services provider Nektan has appointed Simon Hay as the chief financial officer, effective from 17 June. Prior to his appointment at Nektan, Hay worked with GVC Holdings as the finance transformation director of Ladbrokes Coral Group.

Commenting upon the appointment, Nektan’s CEO Lucy Buckley said: “We are delighted to welcome Simon as CFO. He joins us at a very exciting time for the business as we continue our rapid growth and path to sustained profitability. His international expertise will be especially valuable as we expand into new emerging territories, providing leading gaming and casino brands with our technology and premium content globally.”

Ergomed confirms Richard Barfield as chief financial officer

Drug development services provider Ergomed has hired Richard Barfield as its chief financial officer, effective immediately. Barfield will succeed the departing CFO Stuart Jackson, who aims to resume in the energy sector. Barfield brings over 25 years of healthcare, technology and business expertise as CFO, across US multinational companies and UK-listed companies. He joins from Chiltern International, where he served as the CFO.

CQS appoints Group CFO

Multi-strategy credit-focused asset management firm CQS has recruited Serge Harry to be its next group chief financial officer. Harry will join the CQS executive committee, reporting to CEO Xavier Rolet. In addition, Harry will manage the human resources function for CQS. He joins from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), where he was a member of the executive committee. He was also chief of staff to the group CEO and group country head for France, Benelux and Germany at LSEG.

Commenting upon his new role, Harry said: “I am excited to join CQS and its outstanding team, working with Xavier Rolet and in close cooperation with CQS’ founder and senior investment officer Sir Michael Hintze, as well as the Board of directors and its chairman Sir Michael Peat. I look forward to supporting the firm as it continues to offer excellence in client service and investment solutions.”

Avadel Pharmaceuticals appoints Gregory J. Divis chief executive officer

Specialty pharmaceutical company Avadel Pharmaceuticals has confirmed the appointment Gregory J. Divis as its permanent chief executive officer. He has held the role on an interim basis since January 2019. Divis joined Avadel in January 2017 as the chief commercial officer, followed by his promotion to the chief operating officer role in March 2018. Post that, he was appointed as the interim CEO.

“I am grateful to the Board for their support over the last several months and their confidence at such a crucial juncture for the Company. In FT218, we have a highly promising once-nightly therapy with the potential to significantly improve the treatment paradigm over the standard of care therapy in a market that exceeds $1.5bn.  I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead for Avadel as we work collectively to advance FT218 for benefit of all the patients that deserve a once-nightly therapeutic option to control their narcolepsy,” stated Divis upon his appointment.

CloudMargin reveals new CEO

Cloud-based collateral management solution CloudMargin’s board of directors has named Stuart Connolly its CEO, effective immediately. Connolly will succeed the departing CEO Steve Husk. Connolly joins from TriOptima, where he served as the group CEO. Prior to that, he was the managing director at Goldman Sachs.

Chairman of CloudMargin Mark Beeston said: “Our entire Board is excited to welcome Stuart Connolly as the CEO who will lead CloudMargin in the next phase of its growth.  Stuart is a well-known, respected industry figure who has been a key leader in the risk mitigation business across prime brokerage, clearing, collateral and bilateral trade management.  On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Steve for his contribution to delivering and executing on the strategy that was needed to transform CloudMargin from start-up to a multi-award winning and recognised firm that has proven capable of attracting the largest financial institutions in the industry.”

Kuflink appoints CFO

Peer-to-peer company Kuflink Group has recruited Tim Spurr as its chief financial officer and director. Spurr brings extensive expertise of financial control, business planning, strategic and commercial analysis and partnerships.

“It’s no secret that Kuflink have ambitious plans for the future and as soon as we met Tim, it was clear that he is the right person to deliver fantastic results for both the business and our investor community. His experience within the industry is as extensive as it is impressive, but his passion for fintech is what really grabbed our attention. With Tim on board, the company’s future looks brighter than ever,” said Kuflink CEO Narinder Khattoare.

Interel CEO Fredrik Lofthagen exits after 23 years

Public affairs and association management consultancy Interel has announced that its CEO Fredrik Lofthagen has departed after serving the company for 23 years. The present managing partner of European practice, Grégoire Poisson is promoted as the CEO to succeed Lofthagen. CFO Geoffrey Ghyoot will take over as the COO, while continuing his CFO tasks. Poisson and Ghyoot will be responsible to report to the board of Interel.

Commenting upon his exit, Lofthagen said: “The terms of my departure are currently subject to discussion between myself and the board, but I can confirm that I am leaving for a new adventure after 23 years with the company. I am confident that these discussions will be concluded soon in the best interest of all parties concerned. I will take some time to reflect and expect to be able to announce where I am going in the next couple of months.”

Paysafe Group appoints Philip McHugh as CEO

End-to-end payment solutions provider Paysafe Group has welcomed Philip McHugh as its new chief executive officer, with effect from 24 June 2019. McHugh will succeed Joel Leonoff who will serve as vice chairman of the company’s board of directors. Prior to this McHugh worked with companies such as TSYS as its merchant solutions head, Barclays as its global CFO if Barclaycard and CEO of Barclaycard Business Solutions. He brings over 20 years of expertise, having served in various executive leadership positions.

“I am confident that under his leadership Paysafe will continue to prosper long into the future. It has been an incredible honour to lead Paysafe and I am very grateful for the commitment and hard work of our people and their passion for creating a truly pioneering payments company,” said Leonoff, commenting upon the transition.

UK Hydrographic Office names chief executive

Government agency UK Hydrographic Officer has appointed Rear Admiral Tim Lowe CBE as the chief executive and accounting officer. In 2015, Lowe joined UKHO as the national hydrographer and deputy chief executive. He was promoted as acting chief executive in January 2015. Lowe has been serving Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy, alongside his role as underwater warfare specialist. He will cease to serve his naval duties on the commencement of his chief executive and accounting officer position.

Commenting upon his new role, Lowe added “I am extremely proud to have been appointed chief executive at such a pivotal moment for the UK Hydrographic Office. As we approach the ‘Decade of Ocean Science’, the need for marine geospatial data and expertise has never been greater, with the world facing increasing challenges in terms of safety, security and maximising the utility of our ocean resources in a sustainable way. Whether supporting the safe navigation of ships, helping our navy to keep our shores safe, or enabling coastal communities to understand their marine environment and grow their marine economies – we are well placed as an organisation to meet these challenges.”

Bas NieuweWeme confirmed as CEO of Aegon Asset Management

Aegon Asset Management appointed Bas NieuweWeme as its chief executive officer, effective as of 24 June. The current CEO Sarah Russell will step down from her role as well as from Aegon’s management board. Prior to joining Aegon, NieuweWeme worked with Prudential Financial’s asset management business PGIM, where he served as the managing director and global head of the institutional relationship group.

CEO of Aegon Alex Wynaendts said of the appointment: “We are very grateful for the passion and commitment Sarah has brought to Aegon. Sarah has been creating and building a successful global asset management business over the past nine years, which is now ready for the next stage of development. Bas’ appointment signals Aegon’s continuing commitment to build a growing and sustainably profitable business. Bas will bring a fresh perspective gained from having worked with leading global asset management firms, in the world’s largest markets”.

Rebecca Lawrence appoints next CPS chief executive

Public prosecuting agency Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has appointed Rebecca Lawrence as its chief executive, with effect from September 2019. Lawrence will succeed the retiring interim chief executive Paul Staff, who served CPS for 28 years. Lawrence brings 20 years of expertise to CPS, having worked in the public sector in various leadership roles. At present, she works with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) as the chief executive. In her new role at CPS as chief executive, she will report directly to the director of Public Prosecutions.

Director of Public Prosecutions Max Hill stated: “This is the most important appointment I will make as DPP, and I am delighted that Rebecca Lawrence has accepted the role. She will bring the exceptional business, management and leadership skills essential to successfully run an organisation of the size and scale of the CPS. I am confident that we will form a strong partnership to lead the CPS into the next decade.”

Hybrid Air Vehicles appoints Tom Grundy as CEO

Hybrid airships manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) has appointed Tom Grundy as the chief executive officer. Grundy has been working with HAV for six years and has driven progress forward with customers and stakeholders across various markets. He will replace the current CEO of HAV Stephen McGlennan, who will serve as the senior board advisor and general counsel. In addition, HAV appointed Nick Allman as its chief operating officer.

John Menzies names its new chief executive

John Menzies, the holding company of Menzies Aviation, has announced that Giles Wilson is confirmed as the permanent chief executive officer. Wilson held the interim CEO role of the Edinburgh Group in March, after Forsyth Black resigned. Previously, Wilson was the chief financial officer. Prior to that he was the finance director of Menzies Aviation and SVP of the company’s African, Middle East and Indian operations.

John Menzies’ Chairman Dermot Smurfit commented: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Giles Wilson as our CEO. Giles provides excellent continuity whilst bringing great energy and enthusiasm to the role. He has strong relationships with our shareholding base, a sound understanding of our business and is already tackling the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The Board are confident that Giles will provide strong leadership as we continue our drive to sustainably grow our business in the aviation services market.”

Search consultancy appoints new CEO

Recruitment company Search Consultancy has appointed Richard Vickers as its CEO, effective from 23 September. Vickers joins from the Page Group, where he served as the regional managing director of North America, most recently. He has also worked across the UK, US and Canada locations of Page Group. He will replace the retiring CEO Grahame Caswell, who will exit the firm in September 2019. Following a brief handover period, Caswell will continue to serve the company as a shareholder and non-executive board member.

Commenting upon his exit, Caswell said: “This is the right moment for me to step away from the business, and I believe the time to welcome a new CEO who will be here longer term to drive and grow this business from the great position it is in today. I truly believe we have found that person in Richard Vickers.”

 Publicis names Chris McCafferty as MSL London CEO

Big Four-listed PR agency Publicis Group has named Chris McCafferty as the CEO of MSL London, with effect from September. McCafferty will succeed departing CEO James Parsons, who will exit the firm this month. In his new role, McCafferty will report to Annette King, CEO of Publicis Group UK, and Guillaume Herbette, global CEO. Meanwhile, MSL London strategic development director James Warren will serve as the GM, on an interim basis, until McCafferty assumes his role. At present, McCafferty is the managing director of Accenture Interactive’s Experience Agency. In 2010, he founded Karmarama’s PR agency, Kaper.

“We are delighted to have Chris on board. With his experience in collaborating closely across specialisms to ensure data driven PR and activation in a digital world, he will be brilliantly positioned to helping drive the Power of One model in the UK. I would like to thank James for his commitment and outstanding service at MSL London. He has been instrumental in the success of the agency and we wish him all the best in the future,” said King.

RSBC appoints deputy CEO

The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) has elevated Sue Sharp to the deputy CEO position, from her previous role as director of services and people. In her new role, Sharp will work closely with the charity’s CEO Dr Tom Pey and oversee day-to-day operations. Sharp has over 25 years of national and international expertise in advancing the independence of disabled people.

Commenting upon the appointment, Dr Pey said: “I’ve worked closely with Sue for the last 15 years in a variety of settings. During this time, Sue has always put the service user first. At the RSBC she has been a key figure in driving forward our ambition to support more visually impaired children and their families. I have no doubt that in her new role Sue will continue to make an even greater contribution to the lives of those we serve.”

Stuart Procter appointed COO of the Stafford Collection

Britannia Hospitality’s subsidiary Stafford Collection has recruited Stuart Procter as the chief operating officer. Procter was previously the general manager at Stafford London hotel. In his new position, he will oversee the functioning of all three businesses, as well as seek more hotels to acquire or develop in London, the wider UK and overseas.

“We are looking for more properties to own or manage along the lines of the luxury offering of the Stafford and are open to buying existing hotels, as well as developing new ones,” Procter stated.

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