Homebase appoints new project head

GUS-owned Homebase has appointed Clive Briscoe – the former marketing director of the holding company’s home shopping business, which was recently sold to the Barclay brothers – as marketing projects manager.

Briscoe’s arrival at the DIY retailer comes just as Andrea Preducov, its head of brand marketing, is leaving.

A Homebase spokeswoman denies that Briscoe has been brought in to replace chief marketer Preducov, who resigned in April for personal reasons (MW May 1). “He has been brought in to help Homebase with marketing projects,” she says. “He has nothing to do with the brand marketing team.”

Briscoe, a former marketer at Carlsberg-Tetley, will report to Homebase managing director Paul Loft.

Briscoe’s position at GUS’s home shopping arm ARG Equation, which includes brands such as Kays and Great Universal, was brought into doubt when the business was sold to the Barclay brothers, owners of the Littlewoods catalogue, in May (MW May 29). At the time it was unclear whether Briscoe and the 200-strong marketing team would retain their jobs at ARG Equation, which has been renamed Shop Direct Group.

One of Preducov’s final duties was to oversee a media review which resulted in the consolidation of Homebase’s &£21m buying account with the &£21.4m buying account of sister GUS brand Argos into MindShare (MW last week). PHD has retained the media planning business for Homebase.

The review was triggered by the acquisition of Homebase last year by GUS.