Staples marketing director quits in middle of £5m ad and media pitch

Staples marketing director John Laidlaw has left the company part-way through an advertising and media buying pitch. It is not known whether Laidlaw, who left the retailer last week, has a job to go to.

The former Dixons group advertising and research director joined the office supplies retailer just over a year ago, in September 2003. He replaced Joe Irons, who moved to the Body Shop as UK marketing director. Staples commercial director Theo Mondij will assume responsibility for marketing.

Laidlaw began a review of the retailer’s &£5m advertising and media buying accounts last year, following its &£32.5m acquisition of the UK division of the Office World chain from Swiss retail group Globus. The deal enabled US-based Staples to increase its UK store portfolio by 59, to 154. Prior to the deal, Staples used RPM3 for advertising and Zenith Optimedia for media buying, while Office World used Maher Bird Associates and John Ayling & Associates.

The review is set to continue following Laidlaw’s departure. Laidlaw has also worked for Barclays Bank as brand and ad director.