Zaid Al-Qassab to step down as Global CEO of M&C Saatchi Group

Zaid Al-Qassab will step down as Global CEO of M&C Saatchi Group on March 31 after less than two years in the role.

The company said the departure was by mutual agreement following a recent profit warning. Current chair Heather Rabbatts will move into the role of executive chair on an interim basis while the board begins the search for a new chief executive.

Al-Qassab joined the business in 2024, succeeding co-founder Moray MacLennan. During his tenure he oversaw a major structural shift at the company, consolidating more than 40 separate agencies into five regional groups and introducing the group’s “Cultural Power” positioning. The company also completed its first acquisitions in seven years during this period.

The leadership change comes as M&C Saatchi faces a difficult trading period, with like-for-like revenue expected to decline around 7%.

The company also confirmed the appointment of major shareholder Vin Murria as director and deputy chair, and Nicholas Shott as an independent director.

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