Allied Domecq rejigs marketing operation

Allied Domecq Spirits & Wine (UK) has restructured its marketing department into four category groups as part of a shake-up by new marketing director Grahame Cox.

Cox, a former Allied Domecq international brand director who replaced Hayley Beale (MW June 26), has reorganised his team into four units covering the big national liqueur, fortified wine, spirits and whisky brands.

Jonathon Ashworth is marketing manager for whisky, with responsibility for Teacher’s, Grants and Laphroaig; Trudy Lloyd is marketing manager for liqueurs, covering brands including Tia Maria and Bols; Rachel Smee is marketing manager for spirits with main responsibility for Sauza; and Michele Pitts is marketing manager for fortified wines, in charge of Harvey’s and Cockburn’s.

Research and planning manager Kathie Giles leads the research team, while business development manager Fabian Partigliani is responsible for the new business development group.

An Allied Domecq spokesman says: “The department is more focused than it was before, with fewer people directly reporting to Grahame. The restructure groups brands together to enable category learning and make it easier for the marketing team to interface with the sales structures.”

He says the rejig came into effect at the beginning of this week.