Nike adopts Dobbie as ad manager

Sports shoe giant Nike is taking on its account director at UK ad agency Simons Palmer Denton Clemmow & Johnson as its new advertising manager.

Claire Dobbie replaces Tony Hill who left in July to join Leeds agency Poulter (MW July 7).

Dobbie has been at Simons Palmer for three years, working on the Nike and Sony accounts. She will report to marketing director Dermot Cleary, who joined in May from SmithKline Beecham (MW May 19).

Dobbie’s appointment comes after a marketing shake-up by Nike’s head office in the US. The company is giving more responsibility to marketing at country level and is upgrading the position of advertising manager.

One source close to the company says the ad manager’s position is “more of a strategic communications role, rather than just placing advertisements”.

Simons Palmer’s latest work is a new poster featuring footballer Eric Cantona, which breaks in October.