Anthony Rees leaves Sainsbury’s

Anthony Rees, former strategic marketing director of Sainsbury’s, and the man once tipped to take the chain’s group marketing director role, has left the company without a job to go to.

Rees leaves two weeks after being moved from the position of strategic marketing director to a new post of senior manager for strategic projects – seen by some observers as a reduced role.

Rees joined Sainsbury’s in 1985, after spending 13 years at Boots. He became director of marketing in 1990, and is regarded as the man who launched the Sainsbury’s Reward Card loyalty scheme. He is also thought to have initiated a review over the high level of own-label products sold at the chain.

At the same time, Sainsbury’s has announced the appointment of former Procter & Gamble marketer Andrew Ground as head of advertising. He replaces David Noble, who was handed the job of marketing director for Sainsbury’s bank in February.

Ground joins from consultancy Lek with the title of brand advertising senior manager. He will report to former Allied Domecq marketing director David McNair, who has been brought in as an interim brand director.

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