4
February 2025
YouGov plc
("YouGov"
or "the Group" or "the Company")
Directorate
Change
YouGov, the international research
and data analytics group, today announces the following changes to
the composition of the Board of Directors:
The Board and Steve Hatch have
mutually agreed that he will step down from his position as Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) and Stephan Shakespeare, currently
non-executive Chair of the Board and co-founder of YouGov, will be
appointed as CEO on an interim basis, with immediate effect. The
Board will commence a recruitment process to appoint a new CEO.
Stephan previously held the position of CEO for over 10 years until
July 2023 and is taking on the role on an interim basis to ensure
continued execution of the strategic plan, support an orderly
transition and allow adequate time to recruit the right candidate
for the CEO position.
To maintain YouGov's high standards
of corporate governance and the Board's oversight and scrutiny of
strategy and growth plans, Deborah Davis is appointed as
non-executive Chair of the Board on an interim basis. Deborah
joined YouGov's Board as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the
Remuneration Committee in June 2024. Deborah is a Chartered Director (CDir) and an experienced
Non-Executive Director with a track record across FTSE, AIM, and
private equity boards. As former Chair of the listed plc
Diaceutics, she has extensive board expertise in fintech, financial
services, technology and social enterprises including the Institute
of Directors.
Andrea Newman, Non-Executive
Director, is appointed Chair of the Remuneration Committee. Andrea
has been a member of the Board and Remuneration Committee since
2017.
It is also planned that a new
independent Non-Executive Director (NED) will be appointed in due
course, and this search will commence later in FY25.
The Board will provide updates in
respect of the CEO and NED recruitment processes in due
course.
Stephan Shakespeare, CEO, commented:
"On behalf of
the Board I would like to thank Steve Hatch for his commitment
and support over the past 18 months, especially
during a challenging time for the Company. Steve played a crucial
role in building and leading a strong leadership team and ensuring
a smooth integration of the CPS acquisition. The Board and YouGov
team wish him every success in his future
endeavours. I look forward to returning
to the role of CEO on an interim basis and to working with the
broader leadership team as we execute against YouGov's strategy to
drive growth in the medium term."
Steve Hatch commented: "My sincere thanks to all at
YouGov for their hard work and inspiration over the last 18 months.
It is the right time for a change and I wish Stephan, the
Board and all at YouGov the very best for the
future."
Deborah Davis, Chair of the Board, commented:
"I'm honoured to
lead the Board through this transitional period and will focus on
maintaining my strong relationship with Stephan and driving
strategic alignment between the Board and the executive team. My
priority will be to continue to foster collaboration and ensure
decisions create lasting value for all
stakeholders."
Enquiries
|
YouGov plc
Tilly Heald, Company
Secretary
Hannah Jethwani, Investor Relations
Director
|
020 7012
6000
|
|
FTI
Consulting
Charles Palmer / Valerija Cymbal /
Jemima Gurney
|
020 3727 1000
|
|
J.P. Morgan Cazenove (NOMAD and Joint
Broker)
Bill Hutchings / James
Summer
|
020 3493
8000
|
|
Berenberg (Joint Broker)
Mark Whitmore / Richard Andrews /
Alix Mecklenburg-Solodkoff
|
020 3207
7800
|
|
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc (Joint
Broker)
Andrew Foster / Josh
Williams / Ed Phillips
|
020 7425
8000
|
This announcement contains inside
information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No
596/201 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of
the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR"). Upon
the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory
Information Service this inside information is now considered
to be in the public domain. The person responsible for arranging
release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Tilly
Heald, Company Secretary of the Company.
About YouGov
YouGov is a global research data,
and analytics group.
Our mission is to offer unparalleled
insight into what the world really thinks and does. With operations
in the US, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, India and Asia
Pacific, we have one of the world's largest research
networks.
Above all, YouGov is powered by
reality. That stems from a unique panel of millions of registered
members across 55 countries, encapsulating some 18 million shopping
trips and millions of interconnected data points.
Our unique approach to recruiting
and engaging with our panel, combined with our state-of-the-art
technology platforms, enables us to deliver real-world, real-time
insights that lead to better decision-making and a competitive
advantage for our clients.
As innovators and pioneers of online
market research, we have a strong reputation as a trusted source of
accurate data and insights. Testament to this, YouGov data is
regularly referenced by the global press, and we are consistently
one of the most quoted market research sources in the
world.
YouGov /Research Reality
For further information, visit
business.yougov.com
