Home / Business and Economy / Polling Firm YouGov Seeks New Chief Amid Share Slump
Polling Firm YouGov Seeks New Chief Amid Share Slump
19 Jul
Summary
- A former Kantar executive is a contender for YouGov's CEO position.
- YouGov's shares have dropped nearly a quarter in the last year.
- An activist investor urged YouGov to consider selling a recently acquired arm.
Wayne Levings, formerly in charge of Kantar's Americas operations, has been shortlisted as a potential new chief executive for YouGov. The London-listed polling firm is undergoing a search for a permanent leader. This move follows a challenging period for YouGov, marked by significant investor dissatisfaction with its strategic direction.
The company's stock has experienced a substantial decline, falling by nearly a quarter in the past year alone. This downturn has reduced its market capitalization to approximately £285 million, a figure only slightly above the £270 million paid for GfK's consumer panels arm in 2024.
Amidst these financial pressures, Gatemore Capital Management, an activist investor, has reportedly advised YouGov's board to explore selling the former GfK division. The investor highlighted evolving market conditions and valuations, suggesting the board should not be bound by the original acquisition price.
Stephan Shakespeare, a co-founder of YouGov, has been serving as the interim chief executive since Steve Hatch's abrupt departure last year. Shakespeare is expected to remain on the board after a new CEO is appointed. YouGov reported a resilient first-half performance in March, with growth in its core US and UK markets, attributing its strong positioning to high-quality data and strategic research.
