RNS Number : 7498V
YouGov PLC
04 February 2025
 

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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

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