IPG Mediabrands APAC CFO and Henry Tajer’s ‘right-hand man’ Reg Davidson to leave company
IPG Mediabrands chief financial officer for Asia Pacific is leaving the company just two months after the high-profile exit of global chief executive Henry Tajer.
Reg Davidson, who was credited by multiple sources as being Tajer’s “right hand man” during his successful leadership of Mediabrands Australia, is to leave the Singapore-based role over the “next few months” after holding it for just one year.
Davidson’s unannounced departure follows that of John Sintras, who was was amongst a handful of Australian media agency executives who were hand-picked by Tajer when he was named as global CEO in 2015.
When contacted by Mumbrella Asia, IPG Medibrands confirmed Davidson’s departure, saying: “It is Reg Davidson’s intent that he and his wife move back to Australia, so he will be transitioning out of his current role in the next few months.” The company also used the word “transitioning” when confirming Sintras’ departure last month and when they announced Tajer’s departure.
Davidson first joined Mediabrands Australia as CFO in 2003 and held the role until July 2016. It was during this period that Tajer rose to become CEO of Mediabrands Australia, where he invested in high-margin businesses and consolidated underperforming divisions.
Henry Tajer
When Tajer was promoted to global CEO in 2015, he hired a number of senior Australian executives – widely dubbed “the Australian entourage” – including Sintras as business development and product innovation director, Mat Baxter, now global CEO of Initiative and former UM CEO in Australia, Dianne Richardson, former managing partner of Starcom Mediavest Group Australia. In addition, he recruited Mnet’s Travis Johnson, Cadreon’s Marc Lomas and media auditor Charles Godbold.
Although Davidson was not part of this initial wave of hiring, he was promoted to the dual role of CFO and chief operating officer of the APAC region just over a year after Tajer’s global ascension. Following his appointment, he relocated from Australia to Singapore.
Prior to Davidson’s move, IPG Mediabrands’ Asia boss Prashant Kumar announced his intention to leave the company. His role was taken over by former OMD Australia’s Leigh Terry, who was named CEO for APAC in June last year.
Mumbrella Asia has contacted Terry for comment, but understands he is currently in New York along with a number of other senior execs.
I don’t know how you have any ability to be Regional [insert something fancy] based in Singapore and not have any history / pedgiree / family / familiarisation with Asia. Instead you get old white people hiring more old white people.
ReplyThat’s not a fair comment and seems one sided. His closest confidant in the company was an Asian. He hired many people who believe in him.
ReplyI am sure there is something more than just what is being reported. For the company not to state clearly the reasons for their departures, I can only suspect something really stinky would have taken place.
he’s not that old ffs.
Replyand being white – just like age – isn’t a handicap to being able to do a job in Asia.
agree on lack of asia experience though – remember how many agencies would justify their lack of Asian senior leadership over here by pointing to their Australian hires 🙂
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