Bagnall

In an agreed statement, Perls paid tribute to Bagnall’s six month tenure as managing director of the consultancy, saying: “Nathalie has also added significant value to MC2 since the acquisition of Vertigo in January. Her knowledge and experience has led to new systems, practices and working methods that have evolved our offer and improved efficiencies throughout the agency.
 
“She has recruited a skilled operational team to handle the day to day operations and we have decided that she could add more value moving to a non-executive rather than executive position. She is still very much involved in the business.”

Some industry insiders have expressed bemusement as just how you “add more value” to a business by being less involved with it and questioned the true reasons behind the rift.

It has been an open secret within the industry for some months that there have been personality clashes within MC2 since Bagnall’s arrival, with her departure being long predicted.

The head of another PR consultancy in Manchester said: “It has long been a question of when, not if Nathalie was going to go.

“It is significant that her departure comes almost exactly six months after her arrival – presumably the period specified in the legal agreement which was drawn up when she sold Vertigo to MC2.

“What Nathalie has done is disposed of a business she didn’t want and trousered £100k along the way. Good luck to her. I doubt, after running her own business, she ever would have been happy working for someone else.”

Bagnall’s own comments continue the upbeat tone adopted by Perls: “I've basically done what I came in to do, which is to gear the business up for continued growth. 

Perls

“I've enjoyed my time at MC2 as well, but in the end, I'm a performance management consultant, and there are a number of companies who are seeking the skills and experience I can offer to transform their operations. 

“I like being in at the sharp end, analyzing where improvements can be made, and providing solutions.

"My plan is now to carry on doing the same – only for other businesses.  I'm joining up with Paul Carroll [her partner and the original founder of Communiqué PR] at Zuma 011 to concentrate on consultancy. 

“I'm already a director of Zuma, and it’s the obvious vehicle for me to help other agencies to improve business and financial performance.  I'm looking forward to it immensely.”

Bagnall's departure comes hot on the heels of the departure of another MC2 director, Sarah Lindgreen who joined the agency in April 2007 to launch its financial PR division. It is believed she is returning to London.

Perls maintained the two departures were “unrelated.”

www.mcmc.co.uk

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