Gallaher names chief marketer
Gallaher has named European managing director Yann Tardif as its first director of group marketing.
Tardif will oversee Gallaher’s brands worldwide and report to Gallaher chief executive Nigel Northridge.
His appointment follows the company’s purchase of Austria Tabak – completed in December.
Tardif aims to “bring a consistency of positioning and expression to our brands, irrespective of the markets where they are found”.
Gallaher’s brands include Benson & Hedges, Silk Cut and Hamlet.
Tardif will head the marketing department, which includes Patrick Billson, head of marketing services, and Chris Hill, head of brand marketing.
The news follows last month’s announcement that Gallaher has consolidated its media buying into Walker Media, at the expense of CDP Media.
Gallaher uses M&C Saatchi and cdp:travissully for its creative advertising, but has no plans to review that roster.
It is the second largest cigarette manufacturer in the UK, with 39 per cent of the market by volume. Imperial Tobacco has 41.4 per cent of the market and last year signed a distribution deal with Philip Morris covering the Marlboro brands. This put Imperial in direct competition with Gallaher’s Silk Cut brand.
