McCann-Erickson chief to step down for European opportunity

Mark Gault, managing director of McCann-Erickson, is understood to be leaving his post to take on a European role within the company.

Gault was made managing director of the London agency after it was merged with HK McCann in August 1994, in a move which is said to have surprised some senior staff within the business.

It is understood Gault will not be replaced. He is thought to have had an uneasy relationship with Jerry Green, executive director of McCann, although there is no suggestion that this was responsible for Gault’s decision to move.

The merged agency was headed by Gault and David Warden as group chairman. They shared client and internal management responsibilities. It is Warden who will be responsible for this latest move.

When asked if he was planning to take on a European role Gault said: “It’s possible.”

At least eight people were made redundant from the agency’s creative department in June in a cost-cutting exercise that also covered account handling staff.

McCann has lost the 10m National Savings account and the 1.3m Martini business since the beginning of the year, despite a 12 per cent increase in billings for the year to April.