YouGov said that Levings would become chief executive elect on 1^st November and officially take over as permanent chief executive and joining the company’s board of directors on 1^st February 2027.

Levings currently works at Kantar as chief executive for the Americas and global chief client officer. Other past roles at Kantar include chief executive for Asia-Pacific, North America and Kantar Retail.

Prior to Kantar, Levings worked at Glendinning Management Consulting and began his career at Procter & Gamble in marketing and sales roles across South Africa and the UK. Levings is a member of the board of trustees at the Africa College Foundation. 

Shakespeare, co-founder at YouGov, had assumed the role of chief executive in 2025 on the departure of Steve Hatch, with Shakespeare having been his predecessor in the role for 23 years until stepping down in 2023.

After stepping down as chief executive, Shakespeare will remain on the board as non-executive director and also serve as chair of a newly established board committee focused on innovation.

Shakespeare said: “I am excited about this next chapter for YouGov and I fully endorse the appointment of our new CEO. When I step into the non-executive innovation chair role in six months’ time, our complementary skills will strengthen the business, and I look forward to working closely with the new CEO to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.

“I am particularly optimistic about the prospects of the business in an AI world, with real momentum behind our new product pipeline. I believe this is where I can add the most value for YouGov’s development in this fast-changing market.”

Ian Griffiths, chair of the board, commented: “We are excited to have such a strong executive leader who will continue to have access to Stephan’s innovation capability.

“Wayne, Stephan and the rest of the board are aligned and excited about the road ahead and the opportunity to deliver significant shareholder value.”

Levings added: “I’m delighted to join YouGov at this exciting time in its transformation and the opportunity to execute the vision created by Stephan. I look forward to working with Stephan and the board to realise the vision and strategy and create real value for our shareholders.”