P&G gives business development role to European laundry marketer

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has promoted Gary Coombe, marketing director for fabric care in western Europe, to the position of general manager for customer business development (CBD) for the UK and Ireland.

Coombe succeeds Andrew Garden, who has been appointed to the post of general manager for customer business development for western Europe. Coombe, who takes up his position in August, will report to vice-president and managing director for the UK and Ireland Chris de Lapuente.

Before taking on responsibility for marketing P&G’s flagship detergent brands Ariel, Bold, Daz and Fairy in Europe, Coombe was marketing director for fabric and homecare in the UK.

P&G has not chosen Coombe’s successor; the marketing director position has been advertised internally, as P&G has a policy of promoting from within the company.

Coombe says that a promotion from marketing to CBD is unusual, and reflects a desire on P&G’s part to “bring some marketing expertise to the role”.

He adds: “My role is to ensure our brands and business proposition help to build our retail partners’ business and meet customer needs. I’ll be helping our brands win at the moment of truth: the point of purchase.”