CIA restructures to stem loss tide

CIA Medianetwork has unveiled a radical restructuring plan in a bid

to reverse the agency’s recent downward spiral, which has resulted in

the loss of over pounds 150 million of group business this year.

The overhaul sees the chief executive, Mike Elms, moving sideways to an

international client services role and Mainardo De Nardis, the chairman

of CIA International, taking over as the chairman and acting chief

executive of the UK operation.

At the same time, the company’s UK group structure is being streamlined,

the first stage of which will involve the merger of CIA Medianetwork

with its sister buying operation, the Negotiation Centre, and IDK.

Tony Kenyon, the head of TNC, becomes the deputy chairman of the

new-look CIA Medianetwork, working alongside De Nardis, Alan Brydon, the

managing director, and Richard Burdett, the vice-chairman. Ashley

Martin, the group financial director, is being seconded back to the

Medianetwork operation, temporarily replacing Roger Powley. Redundancies

from all levels are expected.

De Nardis admitted that drastic action had to be taken to turn around

the company’s fortunes. ’We’ve focused enormously on building our

international network, and it’s true that we’ve lost focus in the UK.

Also, we’ve not had the right leadership here and have had some bad

luck. I don’t think we have any time left, we need to make some drastic

decisions. Without a strong UK, what sort of a network can we

build?’

Chris Ingram, the chairman of Tempus, CIA’s parent, explained: ’The

basic product here is good, but it’s clear we needed to take some action

and we’re now getting on with that as quickly as possible.’

De Nardis added that the Medianetwork product is a lot stronger than

perception would suggest. ’We’re 200 per cent better than people

think.

We’ve already made enormous investment in our UK systems and service,

now we need to tell people about it.’ The agency has won several new

clients, notching up around pounds 25 million in new business this year,

including CGU, the Gap and Novartis.

Ingram is now moving to the US for the next six months to spearhead

Tempus’s expansion there following the acquisition of VSM Media.

Live Issue, p10.