McNair goes as Sainsbury’s takes axe to marketing team

Sainsbury’s director of marketing David McNair and director of customer services Mike Conolly have lost their jobs as part of wholesale changes at the struggling supermarket chain. A further 33 positions are threatened.

Group marketing director Kevin McCarten, the man held largely responsible for the much-derided “Value to Shout” campaign starring John Cleese, will remain.

A total of 20 job cuts are being made in Sainsbury’s 230-staff marketing department following falling sales. Chief executive Dino Adriano said last week that the company’s performance was “not acceptable” and announced plans to axe 300 head office jobs as part of a 60m cost-cutting drive.

In addition, Sainsbury’s is axing 12 marketing positions within its hypermarket chain format Savacentre, as part of a plan to integrate the chain within the group’s main operations.

Head of marketing for Savacentre Mike Berger-North is one casualty of the changes. His boss, marketing director Alan Webb, will be one of three to find out on Wednesday if there is a position for him within the merged group.

A spokesman comments: “We are making these changes to sharpen our marketing focus so we can be more responsive to our customers’ needs.”