Wallis hands senior role to insider

Sears fashion chain Wallis has appointed Carole Simpson as head of marketing.

Simpson has been promoted from product communication manager.

She fills the gap left by marketing director Fiona Davies, who left the company earlier in the year to join the Early Learning Centre in the same role.

Simpson’s appointment comes after Mike Overton was named Wallis commercial director and follows in the wake of job losses at Sears group. The Sears Womenswear group comprises Wallis, Richards, Miss Selfridge and Warehouse.

Wallis has axed one job in the marketing department and two in the production department as the retail giant attempts to cut costs.

Richards recently announced 25 job losses and put store development on hold in an attempt to reposition the brand and become more responsive to the market.

There is also speculation that Miss Selfridge may suffer cutbacks and even that Sears is preparing offload the womenswear division.

Wallis’ advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty launched the company’s first brand-building campaign last summer. The initiative featured controversial press executions portraying the moments before possible fatal accidents.