Engine, the UKs largest privately owned communications group, announces new UK and Group Board structures.
These changes follow the recent announcement of a GBP 62.5 million investment in Engine by HIG Capital. HIGs investment will support Engines international expansion, including potential acquisitions, in China, the USA, Brazil and selected European markets. It also follows Engines announcement at the end of October of the acquisition of the leading New York-based full-service interactive marketing agency Deep Focus, recently named Best Social Media Marketing Agency of 2010. Engine is creating two boards, an Engine UK one and an Engine Group one.
 
Debbie Klein is being promoted to CEO of Engine UK and Peter Scott becomes Chairman of Engine UK and Chairman/CEO of Engine Group.
 
Announcing the changes, Peter Scott, Engine Chairman and Joint Chief Executive, said: As we move forward with these exciting steps in Engines growth, it is equally important that we ensure that Engine itself is designed and structured to work as the truly global business that we are now becoming. The new Engine board structures reflect the ambition and scale of growth we are targeting and will provide the leadership and co-ordination needed to support it.
 
The Engine UK board will comprise of the following: Peter Scott, Chairman Debbie Klein, CEO Peter Harris, Finance Director Phil Andrews, COO (and CEO Partners Andrews Aldridge) Sacha Deshmukh (CEO MHP Communications) Neil Morris (Director of Innovation) Dan Bobby (CEO Dave) Steve Aldridge (Executive Creative Director) Leon Jaume (Executive Creative Director).
 
The new Engine Group Board will be comprised as follows: Peter Scott, Chairman and CEO Debbie Klein, CEO UK Peter Harris, Group Finance Director Martin Puris, CEO of Engine USA Simon Clift, Non-executive director Matt Wreford, Non-executive director Richard Wyatt, Non-executive director Thomas Scriven, Non-executive director (to be appointed on completion of HIG investment) Matthias Allgaier, Non-executive director (to be appointed on completion of HIG investment) In addition Robin Wight, President of Engine, will be reducing his time commitment as he intends to spend more of his time on his external and charitable interests but we are delighted that we will continue to benefit from his creative counsel and inspiration.
 
Robin cofounded Wight Collins Rutherford Scott with Peter Scott in 1979 and has made an enormous contribution to both WCRS and Engine over the years, not least a 31 year commitment to marketing BMW in the UK. There is other news about key people around Engine as the team structure evolves. Jonathan Peachey of Transform will become Group Development Director at Engine Group level. He will be working with Peter Scott on building and developing the international network. Simon Clark steps up to CEO of Transform at the same time.
 
Julian Hough will focus on contributing to the successful merger of WCRS and Altogether but from next spring with be appointed Business Development director at Engine worldwide. Engine also announces the appointment of one of Asias leading marketing and advertising experts, David Liu, as Chairman of Engine in Asia based out of Hong Kong. He has over 27 years of experience across the marketing, advertising and media sectors, both in-house and in agency.
 
Announcing Lius appointment, Peter Scott, Engine Group Chairman and Chief Executive, said: David Liu has unique experience of the marketing, media and business arena across Asia. He is a visionary, and he shares our ambition to take the Engine model of genuinely integrated, multi-disciplinary, excellence and build Engine in Asia. Our goal is clear. We plan to make Engine a leader in marketing and communication services in the fastest growing areas in the Asian market. With Engine expanding in the USA and now in Asia, together with plans we are forming for Engine in South America and continued growth in our home market in Europe, the shape of the new, global, Engine is now becoming clear. David Liu is currently a Non Executive Vice Chairman of QJY Media Group, a Hong Kong Stock Exchange listed company, and a Director of CBSO China. He has over 25 years of experience in the advertising communications industry in Asia working with McCann Erickson, Bozell and Saatchi & Saatchi. Liu was also one of the founders and Chief Executive of Aegis Media Group in Asia Pacific.