Issie Peate appointed Chief Operating Officer and Patrick Walker named Chief Financial Officer

London, 28 May 2026: Haymarket Media Group, the media, data and information company, today announces the next phase of growth for its global leadership team. After decades of dedicated service, Brian Freeman, Group Chief Financial Officer, and Celia MacMillan, People and Communications Director, will retire later this year. Stepping into new executive roles are longstanding Haymarket leader Issie Peate as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and industry veteran Patrick Walker as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Celia MacMillan will retire in June after 20 years of shaping Haymarket’s people and culture strategy, while Brian Freeman will step down in September, concluding nearly four decades of financial leadership.

Kevin Costello, Global Chief Executive of Haymarket said: “I feel very lucky to have worked alongside Celia and Brian for so many years. To say they have brought value to this company is an understatement; they have been my close partners in building Haymarket into the business it is today. 

“Brian has been my right hand through nearly four decades, navigating us through financial transformations that many thought impossible. Celia has been the heartbeat of our people and culture strategy, guiding us through immense change with unparalleled expertise and constantly making Haymarket a better place to work. I could not be more grateful for their unswerving loyalty, wise counsel, and support.”

The appointment of Issie Peate as Chief Operating Officer marks a proud milestone for Haymarket’s internal talent development. Issie joined the company in 1993 and has risen through almost every division of the UK business. Since 2017, she has led Haymarket’s in-house content marketing agency, Wonderly, managing a diverse portfolio of global clients.

“Issie embodies the very best of our DNA,” said Kevin Costello. “Her deep operational knowledge, proven leadership at Wonderly, and commitment to excellence make her the perfect choice to lead our global operations.”

Issie Peate, incoming COO, said: “Having grown my career at Haymarket, I am really excited to step into the role of Chief Operating Officer. My experience working across so many areas of the business, and leading Wonderly for nearly a decade, means I have seen firsthand how this company evolves, innovates, and champions our people. I am delighted to take on this new responsibility and look forward to working closely with our talented teams around the world to drive our operations and future growth.”

Also joining the executive team is Patrick Walker, who steps into the role of Chief Financial Officer. Patrick brings over 30 years of finance leadership experience across global media, tech, and events businesses, including senior roles at Reuters and Ascential. In addition to his commercial success, Patrick is a passionate advocate for inclusive workplaces. He has previously founded enterprise Pride networks and has worked with The King’s Trust for over a decade, aligning perfectly with Haymarket’s purpose-driven culture and B Corp Certified status.

“Patrick’s global perspective, commercial focus, and values-driven leadership align perfectly with what we stand for, alongside our vision for the future,” Kevin Costello added.

Patrick Walker, incoming CFO, commented: “I’m delighted to be joining Haymarket as CFO. I’m excited to get started, meet the teams, and build on the company’s strong heritage. I’m really looking forward to partnering with Kevin and getting to know all the businesses.” 

As Haymarket enters this exciting new chapter, the transition of roles is now underway to ensure a seamless handover ahead of Celia and Brian’s respective retirements in June and September. We will recruit for a new MD for our Wonderly business and Issie will remain in a senior client executive advisory capacity for a few of Wonderly’s key clients.

[ENDS]

Media enquiries: Tara Geoghegan, Head of Communications and Impact, [email protected]  

About Haymarket Group

Haymarket Media Group is a privately-owned media, data and information company, shaping a better future with remarkable content for specialist audiences across the world. The company has 1,200 employees across offices in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Germany and the Netherlands. The company is proud to be a B Corp Certified business, meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Haymarket’s portfolio consists of more than 90 market-leading brands including Campaign, Third Sector, ENDS Report, What Car?, MyCME and Asian Investor.

Through live, digital, print, education, data, tech services, video and audio, Haymarket’s brands inspire, inform and empower clients and communities internationally.