Mothercare hires marketing boss

Mothercare has hired former Tesco marketer Julie Withers to head its marketing department as it begins to integrate the Children’s World chain, which it bought in April.

Withers left Tesco 18 months ago. She joins the chain next week as marketing manager, and will be responsible for all Mothercare and Children’s World marketing.

The role of marketing chief has been vacant since Mothercare buying and marketing director Paul Sprague left in July.

The chain split his role. It divided buying between two buying directors and the started the search for a new head of marketing.

Withers joins as the chain integrates the 56 out-of-town Children’s World stores with Mothercare’s 270 high street stores.

Storehouse, the parent company, bought Children’s World from Boots in April for 62m. The chain is testing four of the out-of-town stores under a new format, branded as Mothercare World. A decision on how to brand the rest of the Children’s World stores will be taken next spring.

The chain does its advertising in-house, and Children’s World’s agency, GGT Advertising, has done no work since the takeover.

Withers’ role will include advertising responsibility.