McCann Manchester has confirmed that planning director David McGlone has left the agency after seven years.

McGlone announced his departure on social networking site LinkedIn, where he also revealed plans to start a new insight business in the spring.

In a statement McCann said McGlone, a former planning director at Faulds, had "relinquished" his post but "continues to work with the agency on a consultancy basis".

His departure leads to a rejig for the planning team, with Jamie Peate, previously the agency's director of insight, now taking on the expanded role of director of insight and planning.

Peate joined the Bonis Hall firm after his company Blue Banana was acquired by McCanns in March.

McCann said it was "actively recruiting" to further strengthen its nine-strong planning and insight department.

A spokesperson said: "David has done an excellent job for the agency over the past seven years.

"As an agency we are totally committed to building the strongest possible insight and planning team that can work nationally and internationally with our client base. 

"Jamie’s expanded role coupled with our recruitment drive in this area underlines the scale of our ambition and we look forward to announcing further strengthening in this area in the near future."