Manchester’s BIG Partnership – one of the UK’s biggest marketing and communication agencies – has appointed former Telegraph Media Group chief commercial officer Steve McLaughlin as its first chief executive.
The 55-year-old was responsible for TMG’s digital strategy, subscription programme and syndication and has also held senior management roles at the Daily Mail, Trinity Mirror, ICS Learn and Scottish Radio Holdings.
McLoughlin joins BIG, which has turnover of £10m, from Dubai-based Gulf Sports Media, a digital and print content business, where he trebled digital revenues during a three-year spell as chief executive.
BIG founding director Neil Gibson said: “With turnover this year of around £10 million, our highest-ever, we’re ready to take the next step forward in BIG’s evolution and Steve’s appointment will play a major role in further accelerating our expansion.
“He has a superb, sustained pedigree of driving business growth, with a specific focus on digital performance, as his track record in his last two leadership roles with Gulf Sports Media and ICS Learn amply demonstrates.
“We had over 260 applications for the role, and interviewed several extremely strong contenders, but Steve was the outstanding candidate and the unanimous choice of the board.
“Working with our senior team, he will play a pivotal role in accelerating the strong growth we’ve seen in recent years, with a particular emphasis on further integrating our content, digital and design offerings for our clients’ benefit.”
McLaughlin added: “I’m hugely excited to be coming back to the UK to work with such a well-regarded agency at a really exciting period in its growth.
“I know from many people within my own network that BIG has a hard-earned and justified reputation as a firm which really delivers for its clients. It’s clear that the team is ambitious for further growth and I’m looking forward to playing my part in the years ahead.”
BIG has 120 staff and 350 clients and operates from offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Manchester.
