YouGov (YOU) co-founder and chair Stephan Shakespeare is returning as interim chief executive, replacing Steve Hatch, who had faced multiple calls to resign from activist investor Gatemore Capital Management.
Shakespeare, who ran the polling and research company for more than ten years until July 2023, has taken over the post with immediate effect. Deborah Davis, chair of the remuneration committee, has been named interim non-executive chair, replacing Shakespeare. A search for a permanent chief executive will begin soon.
The Aim-traded company’s share price collapsed by more than 60 per cent under Hatch’s 18 months in the post and is down nearly 70 per cent over five years. Gatemore described his tenure as a “disaster” and said the market has “lost faith in his leadership” due to a number of management missteps, including inconsistent earnings guidance.