Walkers marketing chief moves up

Walkers marketing director for crisps Michele McGrath has been promoted to Frito-Lay’s central marketing team for Europe and will work in a strategic role.

McGrath will become regional new product development chips director for Frito-Lay – the global snack foods division of PepsiCo – reporting to regional director of crisps and promotions Neil Campbell and commercial vice-president for Europe, Martin Glenn.

“During her stewardship of the Walkers brand she continued its dynamic growth, launching two new flavour varieties and Walkers Lites,” says a Walkers spokeswoman.

James Boulton will replace McGrath as marketing director for crisps at Walkers. Boulton joins from Oxford Corporate Consultants but spent seven years at Lever Brothers in a variety of brand and national account roles.

Glenn is caretaking the vice-president of UK marketing role at Walkers until a replacement is found. Mhairi McEwan quit the post six months ago in the wake of the restructure. She is now working as a marketing consultant for Guinness.

It is understood that an external candidate was interviewed for the vice-president of UK marketing post in December but industry sources tip Campbell as a possible successor.

Campbell, a former marketing director for Frito-Lay in Holland, is working as Glenn’s number two on a secondment basis for six months at Frito-Lay Europe’s headquarters in Richmond.

“I have a regional role on a six-month basis which started in January,” says Campbell.