Top Sportline exit leads to search for successor

Sportline, which markets and distributes Head sports goods and clothing in the UK, is looking for a new marketing director following the departure of Nigel Green.

The new recruit will be responsible for developing new branded sportswear in the UK, as well as marketing Head sports products, which include tennis rackets, skis, footwear and bags.

The holding company H Young bought Sportline from Porter Chadburn in 1994. It reported profits this year of about 4m.

Head became famous for its associations with US tennis player Andre Agassi who wears its sports wear and uses its rackets. The skis and tennis gear are made in Austria and the clothing and bags by separate companies around the world.

Nigel Green has left Sportline to help run a corporate golfing events company.

In 1992, the former Pepsi marketing boss Chris Radford became chief executive of Sportline, but has since been replaced by John Stockton.

Head’s advertising is not currently handled by any one agency, but it has used Publicis which developed a press campaign using the line “Someone’s using their Head”.