Matalan poaches Currys marketer

Currys marketing director Euan Sutherland is leaving the Dixons Stores Group to join Matalan, where he will oversee marketing of the discount clothing retail chain, as well as its Lee Cooper and Falmer jeans brands.

Sutherland, who is on gardening leave until he joins Matalan as marketing director at the start of April, says he has plans to review the chain’s advertising.

Matalan spends up to &£6m on above-the-line advertising and uses a combination of agencies. Cdp-travissully creates Matalan’s television advertising, Cheetham Bell JWT handles the creative work for press ads, and media buying is handled by Feather Brooksbank.

Sutherland says there’s “a probability” that he will look at the agencies used as well as the type of media.

He adds: “Matalan is a ‘challenger’ brand, which makes it more exciting.”

Reporting to the new chief executive Paul Mason, who has joined from Asda Wal-Mart, Sutherland will have responsibility for marketing, brand development and advertising for the clothing and homewares group. He will also oversee an innovation team and the customer service function, as well as work on the Lee Copper brand across Europe.

Prior to joining Currys in 1999, Sutherland worked for Coca-Cola, Mars and Boots The Chemist in a variety of sales and marketing roles in the UK and Europe. Matalan, which has 140 outlets in the UK, beat Christmas sales forecasts with the help of price promotions and national advertising.