Comet recruits Superdrug boss for top role

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Comet, the Kingfisher-owned electrical chain, has appointed Paul Geddes, head of marketing at sister company Superdrug, as its new marketing director.

Geddes replaces Stephen O’Brien, who left to become Kingfisher’s director of complementary channels, heading its home shopping and Internet strategy.

Superdrug has yet to appoint a replacement for Geddes, who will take up his new post on August 16.

The move, which places Geddes in charge of a &£30m advertising budget, comes at a time of major change at Comet. Last month it announced it was to open a chain of new-look superstores, while Kingfisher this year unified its pan-European electricals businesses into one division.

This move was made to achieve greater cost savings by merging buying and IT systems throughout Kingfisher’s separate electrical businesses, which include French chains Darty and BUT and German chain Wegert.

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