Top Domecq roles ditched after rethink

Allied Domecq Spirits & Wine has scrapped two top marketing posts created in its recent restructure after it was unable to find suitably qualified candidates to fill them.

The company has been looking for international brand directors for the Beefeater and Courvoisier brands since its restructure was announced last autumn. But last week it announced that the positions had been axed and, instead, responsibility for the brands will be assumed by Ian Hannah, president of international brands for Europe.

The move underlines the difficulties Allied Domecq has had in filling the top posts for its brands. It has appointed just two brand directors at the Bristol brand centre: Martin Riley for Ballantine’s and Grahame Cox for Harvey’s and Cockburn’s. In December European marketing director Chris Banks left to join rival Grand Metropolitan.

In the revised structure, Beefeater marketing director Nick Johnston and Courvoisier marketing director Keith Burton will report directly to Hannah.