Ex-Seeboard boss to head PowerHouse marketing

New PowerHouse, the electrical retailer brought out of receivership, has appointed former Seeboard Energy marketing and sales director Nigel Samuels to its board and given him overall responsibility for marketing.

Samuels left the utility company after a five-year stint following its purchase by the Electricité de France-owned London Electricity (MW March 20).

Before that, Samuels was managing director of Seeboard Electrical Superstores, which was sold on to rivals Dixons. Samuels started his career at Dixons.

As commercial director of New PowerHouse, Samuels will have responsibility for brand and product marketing, buying, marketing communications, and inventory planning.

In September, PowerHouse was purchased out of receivership by Pacific Retail Group, New Zealand’s largest electrical retailer. Pacific purchased 143 of PowerHouse’s stores, leaving the administrator to close another 93 with the loss of 800 jobs.

In November, PowerHouse appointed Equinox Communications to handle its £4m media buying and planning account. The appointment was overseen by the interim marketing director Len Whitlock (MW November 13). Hertfordshire-based agency Result holds the advertising account.

New PowerHouse was originally created by a management buyout of the retail arms of Southern, Eastern and Midlands regional electricity companies after their privatisation. The electrical retail market is dominated by the Dixons Group and Kesa Electricals-owned Comet.