The Cordiant group has rallied to the support of Bob Seelert, its
chief executive, amid reports of boardroom dissatisfaction with
him.
Charlie Scott, the group’s chairman, this week firmly rejected rumours
that two non-executive directors, Sir Peter Walters and Professor Ted
Levitt, were unhappy.
Seelert, the former president and chief executive of General Foods’
worldwide coffee and international foods division, was the surprise
appointment to set the group’s agency networks - Saatchi and Saatchi
and Bates Worldwide - back on course after the ousting of Maurice
Saatchi.
Scott praised Seelert’s central role in helping to achieve Cordiant’s
return to financial health following its 1995 rights issue, which had
resulted in a solid financial base and helped create a situation where
the group had almost no net debt.
Scott commented: ’Bob has achieved the difficult feat of being both
respected and liked.’
Meanwhile, the group has indicated its intention to bolster the senior
network management, which has been criticised as being of insufficient
quality.
Seelert said: ’By and large, we’re happy with the management of the
company, but there are some key positions we would like to
strengthen.’
At the same time, Scott acknowledged the need to win over agency
managers who have accused the group of being remote and unworldly.
He said: ’If that’s the perception then we must accept the
criticism.’
Live issue, p16.
.jpg)
.jpg)