Est. 2001·3,000+ placements · six offices · four regions
Leadership Changecurated sourcedetected 2026-10-26 · confidence 70%

Last updated

Auction Technology Group plc: Leadership Change

Activist shareholder FitzWalter Capital (27.2% holder) has requisitioned a general meeting to remove chair Scott Forbes and appoint Richard Campbell-Breeden, a former Goldman Sachs vice chairman, who would be asked to lead a comprehensive strategic review including a possible full sale process. FitzWalter also wants the company moved to the US. This follows a dozen rejected takeover bids and a CEO change in May (Duncan Painter replaced John-Paul Savant).

Source: BusinessCloud UK

What happened
Activist shareholder FitzWalter Capital (27.2% holder) has requisitioned a general meeting to remove chair Scott Forbes and appoint Richard Campbell-Breeden, a former Goldman Sachs vice chairman, who would be asked to lead a comprehensive strategic review including a possible full sale process. FitzWalter also wants the company moved to the US. This follows a dozen rejected takeover bids and a CEO change in May (Duncan Painter replaced John-Paul Savant).
Who
Auction Technology Group plc · UK
When
2026-10-26
So what
A change at the top rarely stays at the top.

The leadership read

A change at the top rarely stays at the top. Auction Technology Group plc's move reshapes the layer beneath it in the sector as a new leader sets priorities and the team re-forms. Watch the first two or three appointments that follow; they signal direction more reliably than any statement.

Market context: Backdrop: a 109 (Hot) Talent Market Index (up 7.3 on the month) with EMEA activity easing (-3.1pts).

Auction Technology Group plc: 1 signal in the last 90 days.

MitchelLake in this thematic

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Activist Fitzwalter Capital, the largest shareholder, is pushing to oust chair Scott Forbes and install nominee Richard Campbell-Breeden, with a strategic review that could include a buyback or sale; a general meeting is called for shareholders to vote.

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Where this lands in our work

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