Pattison to leave I-Level

The 52 year old marketing veteran became CEO of ILG Digital, the holding company for I-Level and Generator Consulting, in April 2007; founder Andrew Walmsley described his task as "taking the business to the next level".

Some 18 months later, and following the ECI deal which valued the business at £45m, Pattison believes he has achieved his goal and that it is time to pass the baton on. Client billings have risen from £80m to £100m during his tenure, and new media accounts include Sony, Beck's, Turner Broadcasting and Lovefilm.

"The corporate development role which I was brought here to do has been achieved," said Pattison. "It’s been an exciting time to be in the digital space and I-Level is a fantastic business."

The chief executive will be involved in recruiting his successor and will also stay on in a non executive, part time role at the company, for the foreseeable future.
 
But the original ‘P’ in PHD ruled out plans of disappearing from agency life altogether, adding: "I’ve pretty much worked every day of my life since I was 18, so I am looking forward to taking some time out. That’s not to say I’m ready for retirement, I just wanted to state my intentions before the active recruitment of my successor began."

Walmsley said he was "delighted" Pattison will remain part of the I-Level Board. Launched in April 1999, the agency has serviced a number of large advertisers, including the Central Office of Information (COI), The AA and BSkyB.

Last month, it lost part of its Orange account to WPP’s Mediaedge:cia.

This article was first published on Media Week