Hasbro marketer quits in reshuffle

Hasbro marketing director for boys’ brands Carol Evans has left the company as part of a restructure that sees the UK and European marketing departments merge. It is not known if she has a job to go to.

The UK becomes the lead market for Europe as part of the restructure and managing director John Harper now has six people reporting to him directly, three of whom come from marketing.

Marketing director for games Anna Chapman will continue in her post. Mark Foster, who was head of marketing for Action Man in Europe, becomes marketing director for toys and Kay Green takes up the post of commercial development director.

Harper says the new structure will improve productivity and make the company more efficient.

The company plans to relaunch Subbuteo, Furbee and Action Man over the next 12 months and Harper says it will also be focusing on the girls’ market, which he wants to account for between 15 and 20 per cent of sales by the end of this year.

The last restructure at Hasbro saw marketing chief Melanie Stubbing return to Weight Watchers (MW October 23, 2003). She was not directly replaced, and Evans and Chapman have been reporting directly to Harper.