Mars chief walks out of 20m-budget post

Mars’ head of TV production Terry Slade-Baker, who controls the company’s 20m European advertising production spend, is leaving the company.

Slade-Baker who joined last May from D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, where he was head of TV, is emigrating to New Zealand.

Mars buying manager Nigel Scorry confirms Slade-Baker’s departure and says that the role will be taken by Claire Randall, a producer at Saatchi & Saatchi. She will join at the beginning of February.

Mars created the head of production role last year in the hope of controlling spiralling production costs. It also aimed to ensure consistent quality for all its ad production across the Mars Confectionery and Master Brand companies in Europe.

At the time the move caused great controversy among ad agencies, who feared that Mars would attempt to interfere in the creative process.

However, Mars denies this, claiming that agencies retain full creative control under the system.

All roster agencies will now deal with Randall and adhere to best practice guidelines.