Be Heard Group PLC (LON:BHRD), the digital marketing services group, today announced the appointment of Simon Pyper as Chief Financial Officer with effect from 9 April 2018.
Simon has broad experience in the media sector and consumer industries, from senior leadership roles over the past three decades. Most recently, he was on the board of GlobalData plc, the AIM-listed data and analysis business, where he served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company from 2007 to 2016 and as Chief Financial Officer from 2016 to 2017. Under Simon’s leadership, GlobalData plc was admitted to AIM in 2010 and grew to a market capitalisation of more than £500m.
Previously Simon was Group Finance Director of Datamonitor plc (2005-2007), a B2B media company which was acquired by Informa plc, and Finance Director of Musgrave UK (2001-5), the Irish grocery wholesaler and franchisor which acquired Budgens plc in 2002 and Londis in 2004. Before then he held a variety of senior finance and commercial roles at Arcadia Group.
Following Peter Scott’s appointment as Group Chief Executive in January, and with Simon Pyper’s imminent arrival, the Board has decided that the COO responsibilities will be shared between Peter and Simon, and accordingly Robin Price has decided to step down from the Board with effect from 9th April 2018. As announced in December 2017, Ian Maude is stepping down from the Board, also with effect from 9th April 2018. Both Robin and Ian will remain with the Group until mid-April 2018 to oversee an orderly handover.
David Morrison, Chairman of Be Heard, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Simon to Be Heard as our Chief Financial Officer. His experience leading growth businesses will be of immense value as Be Heard continues its trajectory.
“I would like to thank Robin for his contribution as Be Heard’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer since our listing just over two years ago. He has played an important role in building Be Heard into a leading integrated digital marketing services group and we wish him well in the future.”