Wrigley picks pharmaceutical chief to take on senior marketing role

The Wrigley Company has appointed AAH Pharmaceuticals marketing director Ian Bray as its most senior marketer after promoting Gharry Eccles to managing director for the UK and Ireland.

Bray, who takes over the role on July 28, will oversee the chewing gum giant’s £16m marketing budget and is expected to continue the programme of product innovation that started under Eccles. Wrigley is keen to develop a range of non-gum confectionery, following the launch of breath-freshening product Extra Thin Ice earlier this year.

Bray joined AAH in 2000 from yogurt and chilled dessert manufacturer Müller Dairy, where he was head of marketing. He has also held marketing positions at KP Foods and SmithKline Beecham.

Eccles, who joined the company in 2001 from Kimberly-Clark, will fill the managing director post after Dariusz Kucz was promoted to regional vice-president for central Europe. He will be based in Munich.

Eccles introduced the X-Cite product, a cross between a mint and chewing gum, which was rapped for its controversial ad earlier this year. The ad, created by Abbot Mead Vickers.BBDO, showed a dog coming out of a man’s mouth.