Gillette European head moves to global post

Gillette European group director for business development Peter Clay has been promoted to the global position of vice-president of premium systems, with responsibility for the Mach3 and Venus brands.

Clay will be based at the company’s headquarters in Boston, US.

Previously, he was based in Boston as the marketing director of grooming products, before becoming vice-president management of Gillette toiletries in 1996. He was responsible for the launch of Right Guard Clear Stick anti-perspirant.

Clay has been replaced by Gillette European business unit director of batteries David Bashaw. In 1998, Bashaw, as Gillette’s regional marketing manager for Northern Europe, was responsible for the &£25m launch of the three-blade razor Mach3 in the UK.

Last year the company ousted its chairman and chief executive Michael Hawley, following sluggish sales and profits for its Duracell battery division. He was replaced by James Kilts.

Kilts recently announced that the company is set to review all external spending and is understood to be reviewing its &£440m global advertising account. Gillette is also planning to increase its ad spend this year (MW June 14).

Gillette’s first quarter results showed a fall of 29 per cent in its net income to $182m (&£128.5m), compared with the same period last year. Sales of Duracell fell 14 per cent in the same period.

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