Bates drops Hinton for Hoare in restructure

Cordiant has ousted Bates UK chairman Graham Hinton and brought in former Young & Rubicam boss Toby Hoare as group chief executive, as predicted in Marketing Week (MW October 21).

Hinton left Bates this week after more than three years at the helm. Over that time its reputation has slipped. The agency has failed to win notable new business, while ending relationships with Heinz Tomato Ketchup after a global review and losing P&O, Bass and Land Rover. A clumsily-handled restructure earlier this year led to senior staff departures.

Insiders claim Hinton has been distracted in recent times by upheavals in his personal life.

Others claim this is a smokescreen and say he was unhappy with restructuring at parent company Cordiant, which meant he was obliged to report to Bates European head Jean d’Yturbe rather than worldwide chief Michael Bungey.

Hoare takes up the position immediately. He says: “Bates is a big, famous brand name, but hasn’t been performing in a dynamic way. It has got a handful of premier division clients but hasn’t got a lot of self-confidence. Its growth record is not spectacular and I want to reinvigorate the agency.”

Hoare was credited with turning round Y&R’s fortunes after taking over as chief executive in 1996, although he was sidelined when the agency reversed into Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe this summer.

Bates UK has won the &£6m Associated Newspaper accounts for the Evening Standard and Metro.