Huntsworth plc

Huntsworth, 15-17 Huntsworth Mews, London

Huntsworth is the PR and marketing services group formerly headed by Lord Chadlington (Peter Gummer), previously the founder of Shandwick (now Weber Shandwick Worldwide). Since April 2015 Paul Taaffe, former Groupon director of communications and Hill and Knowlton CEO, has been CEO.

Background

The company was transformed by the reverse takeover in 2005 of much larger marketing communications group Incepta, whose portfolio included PR and marketing services brands including Citigate and Dewe Rogerson. The enlarged group adopted the Huntsworth name and is run by the smaller company's senior management team. Incepta's portfolio of non-PR businesses was sold on to rival marketing group Media Square towards the end of 2005. Advertising Age ranked Incepta as the #12 ad organisation worldwide in 2004 with revenues of $280m. Source: [1]

Business struggles

In 2014 bonus payments to executive directors were scrapped because none of the company's financial targets were met. Former CEO and chairman Lord Chadlington saw his annual remuneration fall 29.5 percent from £1.003 million to £724,000 and departing COO and finance director Sally Withey saw her package fall from £730,000 to £575,000 (although she did receive a one-off payment of £590,000 for 'compensation for loss of office' because she was given less that twelve months' notice of her contract being terminated.

Nicky Dulieu, chair of Huntsworth's remuneration committee said:

'In 2014, the performance of the group was weaker than anticipated.

'Bonuses for the executive directors were based entirely on meeting financial targets, none of which were met. Accordingly, no bonus payments will be made to the executive directors in respect of the 2014 financial year.'

It has also been announced that Paul Taaffe, who succeeded Chadlington as CEO on 7 April 2015, will receive a base salary of £600,000 and will receive no bonus unless at least 90 percent of pre-tax profit and revenue targets are met.

Group board

• Derek Mapp, chairman and independent non-executive director
• Paul Taaffe, CEO
• Andy Boland, independent non-executive director
• Terence M. Graunke, independent non-executive director
• Oscar Zhao, non-executive director
• Tim Ryan, independent non-executive director
• Nicky Dulieu, independent non-executive director
• Farah Ramzan Golant CBE, independent non-executive director

Former

• Lord Chadlington Chief Executive
• Roger Selman Group Finance Director
• Tracey Reid Director of HR
• Jon Foulds Non Executive Chairman
• The Rt Hon Francis Maude MP Non Executive Deputy Chairman
• Robert Alcock
• Eugene Beard
• Charles Good
• Anthony Brooke Non Executive Director
• Richard Sharp - Non-executive chairman, and former Goldman Sachs banker

Subsidiaries

Financial and Corporate Communications

• Broadstreet
• Capital Communications
• CapitalBridge
• Citigate
• Citigate Dewe Rogerson
• Citigate First Financial
• Citigate Sard Verbinnen
• Hudson Sandler
• nxtMOVE
• The Global Consulting Group

Public Affairs

• Citigate
• Citigate Public Affairs
• Grayling
• The Global Consulting Group
• Grayling Global

Public Relations

• Citigate
• Citigate Cunningham
• Citigate Demuth
• Citigate France
• Citigate Gramma
• Citigate Gunpowder
• Citigate Sanchis
• EHPR
• Grayling
• Harrison Cowley
• Haslimann Taylor PR
• NBS Public Relations
• PR Force Belgium
• PR Force Netherlands
• Quiller Consultants
• SCPR London
• The Red Consultancy
• Trimedia

Healthcare

• Avenue HKM http://www.avenuehkm.com/
• Brand Health International Ltd.
• Broadstreet http://www.broadstreet.com/
• Huntsworth Health
• Jago Pearce
• PBC Group http://www.pbcgroup.co.uk/
• PR Force Belgium
• VB Communications

Contact

15-17 Huntsworth Mews, London NW1 6DD, or email: info@huntsworth.com

External links

Jeremy Pepper, PR Face2Face: Lord Chadlington, Chief Executive, The Huntsworth Group Tuesday, April 19, 2005