Swedish Match picks UK managing director

Swedish Match, the global tobacco and smoking accessories manufacturer, has promoted marketing director Simon Duggan to UK managing director.

In his new role Duggan is responsible for developing products for global markets and has overall responsibility for existing brands. These include Cricket lighters, the Swan accessories range, Bryant & May matches and La Paz cigars.

Duggan spent four and a half years as marketing director, where he was responsible for UK and European brands.

As managing director he remains based at the company’s UK head office in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

In May last year, the company appointed Burkitt DDB to a &£10m account for Vazatek, a nicotine-based chewing gum for people who want to give up smoking. Swedish Match specialises in snuff and chewing tobacco, which are particularly popular in Northern Europe and America.

The company’s products are sold in 140 countries and made in 15 countries. Swedish Match has a global turnover of &£1bn.

The company floated on the Swedish and New York stock exchanges in 1996 and employs 14,300 people around the world.

In order to strengthen its position in the student market, last year Swedish Match launched a website developed by youth marketing agency Iris.