Credit: Zaid Al-Qassab
M&C Saatchi has acknowledged media speculation surrounding its chief executive, stopping short of commenting on reports while confirming succession planning remains under review.
“The board of directors of M&C Saatchi notes the recent press speculation relating to the company’s chief executive officer role,” the company said in a statement to the market.
“While the company is not commenting on any press speculation at this time, the Board confirms that succession planning is something it keeps under review.”
The statement follows industry reporting suggesting heightened scrutiny of the agency's leadership and informal conversations within the market about potential future CEO options, according to PR Week UK.
PR Week: “Headhunter sounds out industry executives about potential interest in role.”
M&C Saatchi has undergone significant change in recent years, including leadership turnover, structural simplification and a renewed focus on financial discipline following governance issues earlier in the decade.
Current CEO Zaid Al-Qassab was appointed in 2024 as part of efforts to stabilise the business and restore investor confidence. He replaced co-founder Moray MacLennan who stepped down in September 2024.
The company did not provide further detail beyond its standard position on succession planning.
The statement comes against a backdrop of weaker than expected trading in 2025.
In a trading update for the twelve months ending December 31, 2025, released on November 24, M&C Saatchi said that like-for-like net revenue is now expected to fall by about 7% for the year, or by 1.5% excluding its Australian business.
The group forecast business operating profit in the range of $53 million to $57 million, implying an operating margin of about 12.5% to 13% below earlier expectations set in its interim results.
The Australian business was the biggest drag on the group’s performance in the first half of 2025.
In the six months to 30 June, like‑for‑like revenue in Australia fell around 26.5%, while excluding the region overall group revenue was broadly flat.
Like‑for‑like operating profit for the half fell 36% to $21 million, with margins compressed by the revenue shortfall.
The company has since made leadership changes and restructured parts of the Australian business to support profitability.
The company said global performance had been materially impacted by an unprecedented US government shutdown affecting its Issues specialism in the fourth quarter but remained confident in its medium-term prospects.
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