More Coutts resignations as former boss launches start-up

It has emerged this week that a further three board directors at Coutts Retail Communications have resigned. The departures follow the exit of managing director Richard Saysell, operations director Christiaan O’Connor and IT director Mark Saysell last month.


Kate Caines, client services director for retail, confirms that she is working out her notice period, as are Patrick Shafe, client services director for home entertainment, and finance director Paul Bruford. All three are expecting to leave around August.


Jeremy Middleton, chief executive of CRC parent company Media Square, declines to comment on the resignations or the future plans of those involved. However, Richard Saysell says he is hoping to attract his former colleagues to his start-up consultancy Creo Retail Marketing. The group launches this month with O’Connor already on board and Mark Saysell set to join within the next four weeks.


Saysell says that Creo will compete with CRC, specialising in ‘creative’ point-of-purchase campaigns for the retail sector. ‘I expect we will compete head-to-head with CRC, but there is scope for us to work with them as a supplier,’ he says.


Although he declines to reveal which clients Creo will be working with, Saysell says they will be from the entertainment and health and beauty sectors. He plans to make Creo ‘a UK market-leading business within three years’.


Saysell left CRC along with four of the management team when their management buyout efforts for the group proved unsuccessful.

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