BK marketing boss walks out

Burger King UK and Ireland marketing director Anna Joseph has quit, exactly three months after joining the fast-food giant.

Insiders claim that Joseph’s departure comes after her three-month review and that she was “unhappy” at the company. She is understood to have left at the end of last week, and a statement from the company says she is to take up a position with freelance consultancy Eden McCallum.

Joseph joined the fast-food giant in September, taking over from Philip Almond, who opted to stay at Burger King’s former owner Diageo, as global innovations director (MW September 9).

Prior to joining Burger King, Joseph had been head of marketing planning and brand management at Marks & Spencer for 18 months. She joined M&S from rival retailer Bhs, where she was a marketing manager for childrenswear and lingerie.

Her replacement, who will probably be appointed next year, will be Burger King’s third marketing director in as many years. Almond joined just over two years ago, taking over from Lorraine Thomson who left the company to join internet portal Excite Europe as marketing director (MW June 22, 2000).

Last week, Diageo announced a final agreement to sell Burger King to a consortium including Texas Pacific Group, Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners for $1.5bn (&£940m).