Schubert exits in Vauxhall shake-up

Vauxhall Cars is axing marketing communications director Wolfgang Schubert as part of the biggest restructure in the history of the company’s marketing and advertising operations.

Schubert is believed to be moving to either Germany or Switzerland with General Motors, after less than two years in charge.

According to sources, he was criticised internally for the lacklustre 20m launch of the Vectra in 1995 but his move is part of a wider restructure at GM as it introduces a European brand management system.

Schubert’s counterpart in the marketing services department, Andy Gilson, is also being moved but is believed to be staying within Vauxhall.

Their roles are being absorbed into a single marketing director position taken by Declan O’Mahony, who most recently was comptroller of Vauxhall.

O’Mahony’s new role is believed to be the first of a number of changes expected in the coming weeks. “Everybody’s job will change,” says one source, “practically nobody will do what they do at the moment. It is all part of its shift from being a car-led to a consumer-led company.”

The European restructure will see six brand managers appointed to handle all European car lines: the Astra, Corsa, Frontera, Omega, Sintra and Vectra.

They will have control over all advertising and marketing decisions, including agency appointments.

But it is not expected to lead to an immediate review of GM’s European agencies: Lowe Howard-Spink in the UK, Lowe & Partners in Germany and McCann Worldwide in the rest of Europe.