Adidas recruits chief in UK marketing shake-up

Adidas is restructuring its marketing department and has created the role of head of consumer marketing UK and Ireland.

Elida Fabergé global marketing manager Rod Connors has been appointed to the position.

Adidas is merging its brand communications and sports management teams, and Connors will spearhead the department.

Brand and advertising marketing functions were the responsibility of head of communications Andy Towne. They were organised separately to sport-specific marketing managers, who liaised with athletes and grass-roots activities.

Towne left the British sportswear giant in December to join former Adidas managing director Bob McCulloch at outdoor clothing company Helly Hansen as global vice-president communications.

Connors joins in March and will oversee all the company’s marketing functions. He will report to Barry Hunter, joint managing director responsible for marketing.

Nick Craggs, SmithKline Beecham group brand manager for Ribena, has been appointed Adidas group marketing manager for football and rugby, responsible for a team of seven, reporting to Connors.

Marketing managers for groupings of sports such as tennis, running and swimming will be appointed as the reorganisation continues.

At Unilever-owned Elida Fabergé, Connors was responsible for the marketing of male toiletry products Lynx, Physio, Fabergé and the men’s fragrance Addiction.

Hunter says Connor’s appointment gives Adidas internal and external industry experience: “It is important that we continue to introduce experienced and strat egically mature managers to our organisation.”