EXCLUSIVE: The exodus at the newly merged Mitchell-Aegis group continues with Carat chief executive Peter Barrie set to leave this week and no replacement yet in the wings.
Barrie’s exit comes as Mitchell-Aegis executive chairman Harold Mitchell leaves today for his first Aegis worldwide board meeting in London this week.
Mitchell is now travelling in a second private jet owned by the Mitchell family, capable of flying to Aegis’ Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore. His London trip, however, is said to be on a commercial airline.
Mitchell could not be contacted but Barrie told Carat staff in Melbourne yesterday that he had resigned and would leave the company within days. A formal announcement is expected today.
"Yes I have resigned and I’ll be leaving by the end of the week,” Barrie told AdNews. He would not comment further although it is understood Barrie is under a six-month non-compete clause.
Former Mitchell Communications Group corporate managing director, Jon White, will sit in as Carat Sydney's general manager, reporting to Mitchell-Aegis Australia and New Zealand managing director, media, Paul Davey.
Simon Ryan remains managing director of Carat's Melbourne office. Ryan also reports into Davey.
White was poached from Mitchell by Carat under former Aegis Australia boss Lee Stevens long before negotiations started for Aegis’ $360 million takeover last year.
Industry conjecture about the appointment of a group chief executive to run Mitchell-Aegis is intensifying with expectations of an imminent appointment.
Harold Mitchell, however, continues to play down the timing of an announcement although there could be news following his Aegis board meeting in London.
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