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.
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.
Stinky for sure!
ReplyThe mess they created is unbelievable and has opened the Pandora box.
The ex-employers now have an uphill task to clean up the mess and need the right person to take lead.
A bad decision by IPG to hire this team and they are now paying the price.
Let’s get a few things straight – What has happened to Reg is not something you can be sympathetic about. Many lost their jobs right under his nose. He is not above it all. He doesn’t deserve the job any more than others. It is all a part of regime change and he was fully aware of what was happening in the company. Fully. Most importantly, the business hasn’t just turned around because of him. All the businesses that are coming to Mediabrands are from global alignment.
Secondly, reading between your lines, I can only infer 2 things – the closest confidante who is Asian is either about to get promoted or get fired given that Reg’s position is now vacant (Take cue Mumbrella).
Third, for every person recruited, there were people dismissed callously. Those others who left were Long term employees whose departure was a big loss to Mediabrands. That is now how you run a business.
Finally, that “something stinky” which you are referring to happened about 2 years ago when Henry Tajer was appointed the CEO and all this fall out is a consequence. You can’t create that level of havoc and expect everyone to kiss the ground you walk on.
Now, whatever led to reg’s “transition” is what would be interesting to know. Anything you want to share Biz Plus?
ReplyYeah what caused his transition Biz Plus? From what the industry is saying within is that the employers found so much of mess that if exposed, it could have maligned the employers reputation and bring it back to ice ages yet again. Many of the preparators who are still within the network are living in fear that they will be exposed. IPG should weed them out sooner than later. Biz Plus, anything to share on the authencity of these talks?
Replyhe’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 🙂
A disastrous decision to send someone so inexperience to lead Asia. Clearly, an Australianlisation tactic to remove and replace senior management at global cascading to individual markets. A terrible one, a lesson that IPG seems to adamant on repeating.
ReplyThe Asian Confidante gets promoted!
News has it that he is the next big success of MB and I would like to think that he owes it all to his former predecessor. (mumbrella, perhaps should get him to comment on what caused Reg’s transition)
This however goes to prove that IPG does operate on a racially-blind and unbiased environment. “Kudos to you Asian Confidante”
ReplyHave your say