Under-fire pollster YouGov eyes Levings as next boss | Money News

A former boss of the market research firm Kantar’s operations in the Americas has been shortlisted to become the next chief executive of YouGov, the under-fire London-listed polling firm.

Sky News has learnt that Wayne Levings is among the contenders to take over from YouGov’s co-founder and interim chief executive, Stephan Shakespeare.

City sources said Mr Levings was not certain to be appointed, and that other candidates were still in the frame for the job.

YouGov has endured a difficult period, with its shares hammered amid investor discontent over its strategy.

The stock has slumped by nearly a quarter over the last year alone, and now has a market capitalisation of about £285m.

That figure is significant because it is only marginally higher than the £270m YouGov paid to acquire GfK’s consumer panels arm in 2024.

In April, The Times reported that Gatemore Capital Management, a prominent activist investor, had written to YouGov’s board to urge it to consider selling the former GfK arm at a loss.

“While the original acquisition price of €315m (£270m) provides historical context, the current market environment and valuation backdrop have evolved materially, and the board should not be anchored to that figure when assessing strategic options,” Liad Meidar, Gatemore’s founder and managing partner, reportedly wrote.

Mr Shakespeare co-founded YouGov along with Nadhim Zahawi, the former Conservative chancellor who is now a member of Reform.

The pair established the company in 2000 and took it public five years later when it floated on London’s junior AIM market.

Mr Levings’ credentials make him a logical contender for the job.

He held senior posts at Kantar including CEO of its Americas business as well as chief client officer for the company globally.

It was unclear on Sunday who else was in contention to take over.

Mr Shakespeare was parachuted in last year on an acting basis when Steve Hatch, the former chief executive, left abruptly.

He is expected to remain on the YouGov board when a long-term successor is identified.

Announcing interim results in March, Mr Shakespeare said YouGov had “delivered a resilient first-half performance, with continued growth in our core US and UK markets and good momentum in our Research division”.

“While the macroeconomic backdrop remains uncertain, clients continue to prioritise high-quality human data and strategic research projects, areas where YouGov continues to be strongly positioned.”

A spokesman for YouGov declined to comment.