Innocent picks top marketer amid reshuffle

Innocent Drinks, the maker of Innocent Smoothies, has hired a marketing director as one of four new appointments. Jamie Mitchell, a Harvard graduate and former management consultant at McKinsey, will be responsible for driving sales growth and the consumer-facing aspect of the business.

He replaces Richard Reed, Innocent’s co-founder and marketing director for six years, who moves to become brand director. Reed will take an over-arching role with responsibility for Innocent’s ethics, development, creative direction, culture and sustainability.

The other appointments include Doug Bairner, who joins as trade marketing controller, with responsibility for maintaining Innocent’s relationship with major retailers and its other stockists. Bairner joins from Procter & Gamble, where he was head of customer marketing for Pampers. He spent seven years at the packaged goods giant working on brands such as Lenor fabric conditioner and Charmin toilet paper.

Giles Brook, who has worked in various marketing and sales roles at Safeway, Asda Wal-Mart and most recently as marketing director for body spray Impulse, joins as UK sales controller.

And Karina Riddiford, who has worked in human resources for Sainsbury’s and contract caterer Compass, joins as people and environment director. All will report to Reed.

Reed says: “We have a stated aim of becoming the most talent-rich company in Europe. Each new person exemplifies the individuals we are after: bright, motivated and experts in their field.”