Veteran Wella boss laid off in shake-up

Wella UK marketing chief Robert Bartlett has been made redundant, in a global restructure of the haircare company’s marketing department.

Bartlett has served in various marketing roles at Wella for over 28 years. His departure follows months of speculation, sparked by Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) acquisition of the company’s consumer business earlier this year. A Wella spokesman confirms that Bartlett is on gardening leave, although he refuses to comment any further.

Bartlett was promoted to executive director at the beginning of October, with responsibility for Wella’s professional and salon business (MW September 9). But sources say the company has moved to restructure the UK marketing team as part of a wider overhaul, leading to Bartlett’s departure.

There has been speculation about Bartlett’s future ever since P&G announced that about 700 of Wella’s 2,000-strong global marketing and sales team were to be made redundant as a result of last year’s 2.2bn deal.

Group marketing manager Cecilia Fleming, the most senior marketer working under Bartlett at Wella’s former consumer division, has already left the company (MW July 15).