Grey commences rejig after top management departures

Grey Advertising is undergoing a management restructure which coincides with the departure of planning director Peter Field and managing director Nigel Sharrocks from the agency.

Field, like Sharrocks, leaves without a job to go to and his position has not yet been filled.

Sharrocks is unlikely to be replaced for several months and chairman Roger Edwards has created a permanent executive committee which will help him to run the agency.

Executive creative director Paul Smith and operations director Chris Loizides will serve on the committee alongside executive directors on client services Jayne Barr, Steve Richards, Barry Cox (also vice-chairman) and Neil Jenner.

The original committee consisted of 12 people but Edwards wants a “tighter” structure of people reporting to him. “We are trying to take advantage of Nigel’s departure to reshape the agency,” he says.

A separate international committee has also been formed, consisting of six people who each head an international account. These are Carolyn Carter (Pedigree Pet Foods), Mike Hemingway (Mars), Rebecca Higgins (Procter & Gamble), Clive Holland (BAT), Frank Cockman (SmithKline Beecham) and Tom Holmes (Worldspace).

Head of media relations Alison Fendley and senior account handler Mark Cunningham also announced their departures from the agency this month. Neither of them are moving to new jobs.