After spending the past four years as GroupM Canada’s chief executive, Stuart Garvie is leaving the company, The Message has learned.

“We are thankful for Stuart’s contribution to the business over the last four years and wish him the best of success in all future endeavours,” said GroupM in a statement.

A source at the company said the change was announced to staff by North American CEO Kirk McDonald, who informed them that Garvie would be leaving at the end of the month and they are looking at candidates to replace him.

The CEO change comes amid other GroupM executive changes, including the recent departures of CFO Heather Baily and Mindshare chief client officer Tricia Allen.

Garvie was named GroupM’s chief executive for Canada in 2017, returning to the company where he spent two years as chief commercial officer between 2013 and 2015.

After leaving GroupM in 2015, Garvie spent two years as president of sales for Bell Media. He has also held global leadership roles with the GroupM agency Maxus (now part of Wavemaker) in London, and senior client roles with Danone and Reckitt Benckiser.

Garvie had also been chair of the Canadian Media Directors’ Council, but will be replaced as the chair must work at a Canadian agency.

“As CMDC chair, Stuart’s leadership skills and passion for our industry were on display,” said CMDC president Shannon Lewis. “He has leaned into media industry-wide initiatives including our recent Canadian Media Manifesto and has sincere enthusiasm for making our media industry better. He did it all while genuinely caring about others and building trusted relationships with our industry partners.”

— With files from David Brown