ISP appoints Stonier as chairman

Simon Mahoney, the outspoken chairman of the Institute of Sales Promotion (ISP), is to hand over power next month to ISP board director and chief executive of Skybridge Randle Stonier.

ISP vice-chairman Edwin Mutton, who had been expected to take over at the end of Mahoney’s statutory two-year period in office was no longer eligible to hold the post after joining the organisation’s secretariat as business development manager. ISP is expected to appoint a vice-chairman later this year.

Mahoney has been a strong voice on industry issues, such as the tobacco advertising ban, helping to gain a partial reprieve for sales promotions.

He has also fought a campaign against European legislation on “Buy one get one free offers”.

Stonier, who has been on the ISP board for two years, plans to continue the fight against European legislation and strengthen the role of the secretariat when he takes over as chairman next month.

He also plans to survey ISP members to find out where they stand on key issues such as a possible merger with other trade bodies.

He says: “I am neutral on the subject of a merger. We have to listen to what the members want.

“We have to accept that the nature of promotional marketing is changing and there is an increasing blurring of the borders with other disciplines such as direct marketing.”

Skybridge, which is part of the Havas network, was formed last year following the merger of Purchase Point and Motive Force. Its clients include Vodafone, Ford, BT and IBM.