Siegel & Gale refocus on US leaves head out

Siegel & Gale is shifting its focus towards Website design in the US and may not replace European managing director Peter Rawlins, who left the consultancy at the end of the year after just five months in the top post.

Rawlins, a former chief executive of the Stock Exchange, was brought into the Cordiant-owned consultancy last August. But in what a Siegel & Gale spokesman calls “a change of circumstances”, Rawlins left before Christmas.

The spokesman says although Siegel & Gale “has commitment” to Europe, it is “increasingly focusing on the New York business and new technology”.

The change in emphasis comes about as the consultancy is “obliged to focus on and play to its strengths”, comments the spokesman, something “Peter was not brought in for”.

The spokesman maintains that Rawlins was “the right man in the right place at the right time, but circumstances changed”. The spokesman denies that Rawlins’ appointment was an expensive mistake. “When circumstances change it is better that you face it. There were long and friendly discussions with Peter Rawlins.”

The consultancy is reviewing what it wants to do with the now vacant role. No appointment is imminent and the spokesman admits it is possible that the post will be scrapped.

Novartis, the new pharamaceuticals and agro-chemicals company created by the merger of Sandoz and Ciba – Europe’s biggest corporate merger – has cleared its monopolies hurdles and began trading at Christmas. Siegel & Gale designed the Novartis identity (DW 15 March 1996).