IBM selects Freeman for global post

Computer giant IBM has appointed Ray Freeman as its first worldwide vice president of advertising and promotion.

Freeman was previously vice president of communications for IBM Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He was responsible for all marketing and advertising across those regions and individual marketing directors in each country reported directly to him.

Freeman will be replaced by Paris-based director of marketing communications Ueli Morant.

Freeman confirmed his new appointment, which he took up last week, but will not discuss what the role entails. However, industry sources suggest he will have specific responsibility for IBM’s software division as it fights Microsoft for market share.

IBM is engaged in a battle with Bill Gates’ Microsoft as it positions its OS/2 Warp operating system against Windows 95.

IBM’s advertising budget is worth about $600m (385m), of which a third is spent in Europe.