Lida unveils first executive board

Lida has put the finishing touches to its first ever executive board, with Louise Whitcombe – the former deputy managing director who has been appointed chief operating officer – becoming the final part of the jigsaw.
Whitcombe quit Lida last year to join BBH as CRM director but has now agreed to return to take up the more senior role.
She is the second senior Lida executive to return to the agency following the departure of chief executive Mel Cruickshank to Wunderman.
The executive board comprises managing director Victoria Fox (pictured, far left), who also recently returned from being managing partner at Adam & Eve/DDB, chairman Matthew Heath (next left), Whitcombe (middle) and creative director Nicky Bullard (far right).
The previous management team, headed by Cruickshank, reported straight into the main M&C board, which included Lida co-founder and M&C Saatchi chief exec Lisa Thomas, along with Moray MacLennan, now global CEO.
Heath said: “We are delighted to welcome back Louise to Lida. Her fantastic track record on strategic client service leadership, coupled with an in-depth knowledge of Lida’s offering and ambitions will ensure she is the perfect final touch to our first executive board as the agency prepares to scale-up to service an ever-growing list of large brand accounts, and also looks at building on its UK success overseas.”
Lida has had an impressive past few years, following what many saw as a sluggish start to the agency. M&C Saatchi chief executive David Kershaw recently hailed Lida as a ‘star performer’ of the group for its strong contribution to a 13% rise in revenue to £75.4m in 2012, compared to 2011.
Whitcombe said: “I am delighted to be rejoining; it is a fabulous agency full of very talented people. I look forward to helping realise our clients’ ambitions and furthering the agency’s growth – both here and overseas.”