Following the departure of Steve McCarthy, Rob will be on secondment from 1 November until a permanent CEO is appointed.
In other news, Matthew Dearden, CEO of Clear Channel UK, has been appointed Regional President for UK and Ireland. Clear Channel Ireland General Manager, Terry Buckley, will now report into Matthew.
According to Matthew Dearden: "Rob's leadership in the UK and within the Clear Channel International group has been exemplary. This move is testament to the confidence Clear Channel International's (CCI) leadership team has in Rob to take the lead in one of our key markets. I wish Rob well in this new challenge and look forward to welcoming him back next year with fresh insights from our colleagues in Australia and New Zealand.
"I am also thrilled to have the privilege to work with Terry and his team and I'm looking forward to getting closer to our business and key partners in Ireland."
William Eccleshare, President & CEO of CCI, commented: "Great international companies share and develop their best talent around their network. Rob is one of our very best talents and I'm delighted that he can support our Australian business at this important time. It is a measure of the strength in Matthew's UK team that we can spare Rob for the next few months until we find a permanent solution."
Rob Atkinson added: "I am looking forward to working with the talented team at Adshel who are achieving success within a thriving out-of-home media sector. This secondment is a fantastic opportunity to share my skills and knowledge while getting to grips with different business challenges and a new culture. I am confident I am leaving the UK business in good health and capable hands for the length of my secondment and I am looking forward to being part of our ongoing ambitious growth plans when I return."
Rob's responsibilities as COO, with direct reports from Sales, Marketing, Development and Operations, will be shared in the interim. The development teams will now report to Finance Director, Justin Cochrane, while Sales, Marketing and Operations will report directly to Matthew Dearden.
