Chime Communications plc
 | |
| Public limited company | |
| Traded as | (LSE: CHW) |
| Industry | Marketing services |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
Key people |
Lord Davies of Abersoch (Chairman)[1] Christopher Satterthwaite (CEO) |
Number of employees | 1700 |
| Subsidiaries |
VCCP Good Relations Fast Track Essentially Group Opinion Leader Research Facts International |
| Website | Chime group |
Chime Communications plc (public limited company) is a marketing services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom and listed on the London Stock Exchange. Chime is the holding company for a portfolio of companies which include public relations, advertising, digital, marketing, deliberative research, corporate responsibility and design.
Chime started as a private company in 1989 following a management buyout from Lowe Howard Spink and Bell to form Lowe Bell Communications and subsequently floated in 1994 as Chime Communications plc. Chime comprises five divisions, 54 companies and over 1,700 people.[2]
Operations
Chime's main divisions are:[2]
- Communications - including Opinion Leader Research , Watermelon Research and Facts International; in 2003 Chime acquired 55% of Naked Eye Research, a UK-based research company specialising in video ethnography.[3]
- VCCP (advertising) - VCCP, founded in 2002, which has created a number of campaigns, including Aleksandr Orlov.
- the Good Relations group (public relations)
- the Open Health group
- Sports Marketing - including Fast Track and Essentially Group
Chime retains a 25% stake in Bell Pottinger, a public relations firm that was bought out by its management in the summer of 2012.[4]
Chime Ventures
Chime Ventures is the investment unit within Chime Communications headed by Ian Priest, a co-founder of VCCP and Chris Satterthwaite.[5] It is responsible for identifying and supporting new businesses and entrepreneurs in marketing communications.[6] It was launched in March 2011 and backs advertising, marketing, public relations, sports marketing and research start-up companies within and outside of the Chime Group.[6]
Companies that Chime has previously backed include VCCP Search, an offshoot of Chimes's advertising agency VCCP; VCCP Health; and Bell Pottinger Middle East.[7]
Board of directors
The company is governed by a board of directors, which consists of: Lord Davies of Abersoch (chairman),[1] Christopher Satterthwaite (chief executive), Mark Smith, Rodger Hughes, Paul Richardson, Richard Alston, Chris Sweetland, Claire Gilmartin, Martin Glenn, Vin Murria and Robert Davison.[8]
Notable former directors include Lord Hannay of Chiswick and Dame Sue Tinson (who both left the board on 31 December 2006),[9] and Lord Bell (who left the board in June 2012 following a MBO by Bell Pottinger's management team).[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Batten, Nick. "Chime appoints Lord Davies of Abersoch as chairman". Campaign. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Chime Group - Business overview". Chime Communications plc. Chime. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ↑ "Company Overview of Naked Eye Research Limited". Business Week. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
- ↑ Sweney, Mark (31 May 2012). "Chime agrees £20m Bell Pottinger sell-off". guardian.co.uk, Thursday 31 May 2012 08.24 BST (London: The Guardian). Retrieved 20 August 2012.
- ↑ Independent
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Tarran, Brian (17 March 2011). "Research Live". Research Live.
- ↑ "NMA". Nmamarketingservicesguide.co.uk.
- ↑ "Board of Directors". Chime Communications plc. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ↑ "RNS 84070 Chime Communications directorate changes". MorningStar, 2 January 2007. MorningStar. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ↑ "Completion of Disposal". Market Announcements, Monday 02 July 2012. Chime plc. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
External links
- Chime group corporate homepage
- Flying Fish: Interview with Lord Bell of Chime Communications. 8 May 2001. By Sathnam Sanghera
- Hemscott – Company Summary: Chime Communications PLC