BT media trading chief set to replace Sharpe at Unilever

BT head of media trading and operations Steve Huddleston is thought to be leaving the telecoms giant and is being tipped to resurface at Unilever.

Huddleston is well known in media circles and was among a host of big names to speak at Marketing Week’s TV conference in Paris earlier this year.

It is believed he is being lined up to replace Unilever media manager Edwin Sharpe, who is thought to be moving to another media position within the company. Huddleston, who was formerly head of media buying at BT marketing services, said at the conference in May that BT’s television advertising budget is now less than 40 per cent of the &£70m it spent five years ago (MW May 12).

He explained at the time: “It is not about the effectiveness of TV declining, but more about other media being more effective.”

Sharpe is responsible for Unilever’s key media decisions in the UK, while Alan Rutherford is the packaged goods giant’s global media chief. Both were involved in the &£700m European media planning and buying pitch, which eventually saw MindShare appointed at the end of last year (MW November 11, 2004). Sharpe also sits on ISBA’s executive committee.

BT and Unilever were not available for comment as Marketing Week went to press.