Coke lures P&G chief to 46m marketing role

Coca-Cola Great Britain has poached a top Procter & Gamble marketer to replace Jan Hall in its biggest UK brands marketing job, following an eight-month search.

Coca-Cola Great Britain has poached a top Procter & Gamble marketer to replace Jan Hall in its biggest UK brands marketing job, following an eight-month search.

Andrew Harrison, P&G UK marketing director for haircare, will take over marketing for all brands in the UK, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Lilt and Five Alive.

Harrison will be in charge of a 46m ad budget (ACNielsen-MEAL), when he joins next month.

The post of consumer marketing director brands has been vacant since Hall was promoted and moved to the company headquarters in Atlanta. She took up the post of global brand director for Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Light in the strategic marketing division of the Coca-Cola Company in March (MW February 5).

Harrison, who is 33, has worked in the UK and Portugal in various consumer marketing roles at P&G. He says: “The opportunity to manage Britain’s biggest brand is something I’ve always wanted and too good an opportunity to miss.”

Harrison began his marketing career at P&G as brand manager for Pampers and moved into the same position for Fairy Liquid. He then switched to marketing manager for Ariel before being appointed marketing director for haircare.

P&G has yet to appoint a new UK marketing director for haircare and intends to advertise the post internally first.