OREANDA-NEWS. Publisher Adrian Binks and the board of Argus Media today announced that Neil Bradford has been appointed chief executive of the company with effect from 1 July. Neil joined Argus as chief operating officer in 2010 and was appointed a director two years ago.

The current chief executive Adrian Binks will remain as full-time executive chairman and publisher.

Argus is a leading energy and commodity price and information service with more than 700 staff located in 20 centres around the world.

In the last five years, as well as being responsible for global operations, Neil has spearheaded an ambitious acquisitions programme and implemented an impressive technology strategy. In this period, Argus has expanded into new commodity sectors including fertilizers, petrochemicals and metals.

Adrian Binks said: "I am very much looking forward to working with Neil as chief executive to develop further the strong global business we have created. I believe we have significant potential for further profitable expansion."

Neil Bradford said: "Argus is a great company with plenty of growth potential. We are flexible and agile, quick to respond to market developments and take advantage of new opportunities. We have been able to adapt to a new regulatory environment, partly thanks to our pre-existing high editorial and compliance standards. We have also continued to grow despite an economic downturn. Argus has a bright future and I am proud to be a part of this."

Neil's background is in B2B businesses with a focus on technology and information provision. After a spell at management consultants McKinsey he co-founded Fletcher Research, a technology information firm, which was bought by Forrester Research in 1999. Neil then ran Forrester's Americas operations, based in Boston, Massachusetts. Immediately before joining Argus, he was chief executive of WGSN, a global information business for the fashion and style industries owned by Apax Partners and Guardian Media Group. Neil studied at Oxford University where he took an MA in geography. He is married with three children and lives in London.