Planning director resigns from Fitch

Fitch planning director John Fillingham has resigned just days after the sudden departure of chief executive officer John Harrison.

Fitch managing director John Mathers plays down Fillingham’s decision to leave.

He denies the resignation is in protest at Harrison’s departure, but concedes it may be due to changes at Fitch following the acquisition of its parent company, Lighthouse Global Network, by Cordiant in July 2000. ‘[Fillingham] feels it’s time to move on. It is possible he has not felt comfortable at Fitch [under Cordiant],’ says Mathers.

‘It is always sad to lose a respected member of the team, but [Fillingham] was part of a management team of seven or eight people, and [his departure] is just part of the cut and thrust of corporate life.’

Mathers says a replacement has not yet been found and that Fillingham will be leaving ‘in two to three months’.

Fillingham was unavailable for comment as Design Week went to press.

Harrison stepped down with immediate effect and will be replaced by Jane Simmonds, a director at Enterprise IG, in mid-August (DW 19 July).