LONDON — Next 15 Group CEO Tim Dyson is retiring after more than 30 years leading the company, during which he oversaw its growth from a single PR firm into a global group of agencies.

Sam Knights, currently CEO of Shopper Media Group, has been named his successor. Dyson will step down from the board and end his executive duties but will remain an adviser through the end of the financial year, the company said in a statement.

Dyson joined the business, then known as the PR firm Text 100, straight out of university and became CEO in 1992 at age 31. He led the group through a series of acquisitions, took it public in 1999, and repositioned it as a consultancy network focused on digital, data, and growth strategy.

“Tim’s leadership of Next 15 over the past 33 years has been pivotal in building the business we have today,” said chair Penny Ladkin-Brand.

Knights joined SMG in 2012 and became its CEO in 2020, ahead of its acquisition by Next 15 in 2021. Under his leadership, SMG has become one of the group’s top-performing businesses, the company said. He will also be appointed to the board, with a further announcement to follow.

“It has been an enormous privilege to be a part of the Next 15 journey,” Dyson said. “I’m excited to see where Sam takes the company in the future.”