Silentnight marketing director goes
Silentnight group marketing director Julie Leivers has left the furniture retailer after her position was scrapped.
As first revealed in Marketing Week (MW November 17), Leivers’ role was thrown into doubt following a review of operations by new chief executive Neal Mernock.
The company has confirmed that Leivers has been made redundant. Responsibility for her remit will now fall to marketing manager Amanda Jones.
Leivers joined the UK’s biggest bed manufacturer last summer after quitting as vice-president of marketing and innovation for GlaxoSmithKline drinks brands Horlicks, Lucozade and Ribena (MW August 26, 2004).
She oversaw the appointment of Leith London to Silentnight’s &£2m creative account earlier this year (MW July 28) following a competitive pitch.
The business review was initiated by Mernock amid tough trading conditions for furniture retailers. He has stated that a five-year product and brand strategy will continue as planned.
Mernock took over as group chief executive last month, following a stint as managing director of Silentnight Beds, the company’s biggest division. Other brands in the group include Layzee and Sealey. Mernock’s predecessor, Nino Allenza, has moved to a position on the holding company board.
