YouGov Shares in Focus as Pollster Eyes New Boss Amid Activist Pressure

YouGov (LON: YOU), the London-listed polling firm, is reportedly closing in on a successor to interim chief executive Stephan Shakespeare, according to Sky News.

The broadcaster reports that Wayne Levings, a former Kantar executive who served as CEO of the market research giant’s Americas business and as its global chief client officer, has been shortlisted for the top job, though other candidates remain in contention.

The leadership search comes at a turbulent time for YouGov. Shares in the company have slumped by nearly a quarter over the past year, according to Sky News, leaving it with a market capitalisation of roughly £295m — only marginally above the £270m it paid to acquire GfK’s consumer panels arm in 2024.

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That acquisition has become a flashpoint with investors. Sky News notes that activist shareholder Gatemore Capital Management wrote to YouGov’s board in April urging it to consider selling the GfK unit at a loss, arguing the board should not remain “anchored” to the original purchase price given how market conditions have shifted.

Shakespeare, who co-founded YouGov in 2000 with former Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, took over on an interim basis last year following the abrupt departure of former chief executive Steve Hatch. He is expected to stay on the board once a permanent successor is named.

Presenting interim results in March, Shakespeare pointed to “resilient” first-half performance, citing growth in YouGov’s core US and UK markets. A company spokesman declined to comment on the leadership speculation, Sky News said.