Phones 4U appoints marketing director

Phones 4U has appointed Sunderland Football Club sales and marketing director Jim Slater as its marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) director.

Slater replaces Paul Hamburger, who left the mobile phone retailer this month after being suspended (MW November 11).

Prior to joining Sunderland in 1998 (MW August 6, 1998), Slater was international marketing manager for Johnnie Walker Scotch at United Distillers & Vintners. Before that he worked for Mars and Kraft Jacobs Suchard.

Slater starts on December 1 and will report to Caudwell Group managing director Tim Whiting.

Hamburger left at the beginning of November after weeks of speculation surrounding his position. Head of brand communications Suk Grewal, head of propositions and CRM Chris Hale and communications chief Damien Peachey also left Phones 4U at the same time.

The reasons behind the marketing department exodus at Phones 4U are still not clear. A statement says the company has made “detailed investigations into the purchase order process but has decided not to take action against any individual”.

The statement added that, separately, Hamburger had decided to leave the company. The company also dismissed any link between the investigation and the exit of the other three marketers, saying their departures were down to “a decision not to open a London marketing office”.