Carat in senior staff shake-up

Carat London chief executive Mark Craze has been handed extra responsibilities as part of a senior management restructure, announced as parent Aegis reported a 24 per cent rise in pre-tax profits.

Craze, who already oversees Carat London, Carat Interactive, Carat Business and Carat Direct, will take on responsibility for Carat Manchester and Carat Insight from Ray Kelly, chief executive of Carat UK.

Kelly, who will continue to oversee BBJ and Posterscope, is assuming a new role as chief executive of Carat Northern Europe, which covers the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium and the Baltic States.

Carat’s European operations will be divided into three zones comprising northern Europe and southern Europe – under joint regional chief executives Bruno Kemoun and Eryck Rebbouh respectively – and Germany and central Europe, to be managed by Kai Hiemstra.

The changes come as Aegis announced interim results for the six months to June 30 showing a 24 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to &£29.9m, on a turnover up 12 per cent to &£2.3bn.

Doug Flynn, Aegis’s new chairman and chief executive, says: “These changes will facilitate pan-European and global business, while continuing to provide close contact between the group and its European heads.

“It will also allow me more time to focus on the exciting opportunities facing the group.”

Flynn is setting up a global executive, comprising 11 senior managers – including the regional chief executives – to ensure the cross-promotion of ideas.