The former sales director of St Ives web division has been on gardening leave since resigning in March. He was on a 12-month contract but Wyndeham has negotiated an earlier release with St Ives.

Brian [Edwards] and I came to an amicable agreement, said Wyndeham chairman and chief executive Bryan Bedson.

Utting will be groomed to take over as chief executive in due course. His first task in the autumn will be to familiarise himself with the 123m-turnover groups operations.

St Ives, meanwhile, continues to review its options regarding a replacement for Utting, according to web division managing director David Emeny: Im in the process of talking to a few people. We will probably have a slightly different structure once we find the right candidate, he said.