CLOSE-UP: NEWSMAKER - MARTIN COTTER. The hunt for Saatchis' new group chief executive.(Saatchi and Saatchi)

Martin Cotter would prefer to stay out of the spotlight, Camilla Palmer discovers.

'I am not having my photo taken!' Saatchi & Saatchi's new group chief executive is most adamant that he remains out of the spotlight.

'Put a picture of that bloke from TBWA in the space instead,' he suggests.

Martin Cotter's brusque manner screams 'keep me away from clients', but in the current economic climate his financial charms more than make up for that. A former chief accountant at Saatchis' finance office, he worked under Sir Martin Sorrell, but Cotter is characteristically embarrassed about this. 'You can't put that in,' he cringes. 'I only met him once.'

Cotter, a Saatchis veteran of 17 years (most recently as the chief executive of its production arm, The Facilities Group), is determined to stay as low profile as possible. He's more than happy for the newly appointed group chairman and chief executive of the agency, James Hall, to take the luvvie limelight for Saatchis and proves very reluctant to discuss his new job. 'I've done nothing yet,' he barks in his no-nonsense Yorkshire tones. 'Come back and talk to me in six months.'

He's seemingly befuddled at why anyone would be interested in him, but Cotter's financial background and track record with Saatchis speak volumes about his brief. Officially, his appointment comes as Hall seeks to tap into the range of products and services available at TFG, cross-selling them to existing clients and bringing in new business through a different channel.

However, Saatchis' reluctance to tell Campaign about its new group chief executive last week strongly suggests that senior management are as keen as Cotter to keep him out of the picture.