Rubins quits PHD to lead Lighthouse

Daren Rubins has quit as chief executive of PHD to become chief executive of The Lighthouse Company.

PHD has promoted managing director Verica Djurdjevic to replace Rubins, who leaves in April.

Rubins described quitting PHD after 17 years as “one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do”.

He said he was attracted to the recruitment consultancy founded by Kathleen Saxton in 2009 because “talent is the thing that gets me really excited” about the media industry.

Saxton said Rubins was “the perfect match” as he can expand the business in areas such as board advisory work, talent retention and strategy.

Rubins will be in line for “equity” at The Lighthouse Company. Saxton owns 95% and Nick Horswell, a cofounder of PHD, has 5%.