Top Guinness man goes to rival brewer

One of Guinness Brewing’s leading international marketing directors, Paul Gilham, is leaving the company to take the top marketing job at Midlands brewer Wolverhampton & Dudley.

The hiring of Gilham as marketing director is a considerable coup for W&D, which markets the Banks’ ale brand in the Midlands. The brewer’s previous director of marketing Alison Cannon left at the beginning of the year (MW January 26). Industry sources suggested her decision to leave was sparked by a clash with managing director David Thompson.

Gilham is the Guinness marketing director for Africa, but was previously the overall marketing director for Guinness Brewing Worldwide. W&D says when he was at Guinness Great Britain, Gilham was responsible for the “Man With The Guinness” and “Genius” advertising campaigns.