Samsung raids Hitachi for head of marketing
Hitachi’s top European marketer, Eamon Collins, has left the company to join rival electronics giant Samsung as UK marketing manager.
The post is the top marketing position at the Korean electronics company. Collins will take over from Saul Pearce, client services director for Cheil Communications, a subsidiary of Samsung.
Pearce assumed responsibilities in May while the company searched for a head marketer. He will continue to work closely with the department. Collins will be responsible for co-ordinating Samsung’s strategies across its six product categories.
The European marketing role at Hitachi has been taken over by Sue Tucker, former marketing communications manager. She will be responsible for implementing the company’s marketing strategy – developed in Japan – in Europe. Hitachi’s campaigns have focused on raising awareness of its consumer goods products, which include high specification plasma screens and DVD camcorders.
Samsung is the number one Korean electronics company and has had particular success with its mobile phone and IT divisions. It is keen to extend that success into consumer electronics. It is launching a number of products including large-format LCD screens and conventional TVs with hard drive capabilities.
It appointed Paul Hartridge as managing director of the consumer electronics division last December to strengthen the brand and its products in brown goods and home appliances.
