Amazon brings in marketer to spearhead UK retail operations

Amazon.com, the world’s biggest Internet retailer, has drafted in US marketer Steve Frazier to run its UK operations as managing director.

Frazier replaces Colleen Byrum. He arrived from the company’s Seattle headquarters this week.

He previously worked in the company’s product development department, part of Amazon’s mammoth marketing structure. Prior to that he was previously employed by US retailer Payless.

It is not known if Byrum, who temporarily replaced former md Simon Murdoch following his sudden departure in September, is returning to the US.

A spokesman for Amazon.com in the US confirmed the move.

However he refused to comment on whether Byrum would take on another role within the company.

The move caps a chaotic year in the UK marketing of the world’s best-known Internet retail brand. As well as Murdoch, the UK office also lost marketing director Chris Ketley in August after less than four months.

Amazon brought in Mary Morouse, also from the US parent, as sales and marketing director to replace Ketley in November.