Carlsberg marketer makes move to Britvic

Britvic has poached Carlsberg UK’s marketing controller for premium
lagers and ales, Peter Kirby, to head the marketing of its carbonates
division.

Kirby will take up the newly created role of brand director for
carbonates with Britvic on April 16 a…

Britvic has poached Carlsberg UK’s marketing controller for premium lagers and ales, Peter Kirby, to head the marketing of its carbonates division.

Kirby will take up the newly created role of brand director for carbonates with Britvic on April 16 and will be responsible for the marketing of key Britvic brands like Tango and R Whites lemonade along with its Pepsico brands Pepsi and 7UP. He will report to Britvic marketing director Andrew Marsden.

The appointment of Kirby is part of a wider restructure of Britvic’s marketing department, following the departure of its director of brands marketing Richard Collins last year.

The rejig means that Collins’ role has effectively been split three ways. Jane Ahern is now brand controller for Adult and Water while Jonathan Gatward recently took on the role of brand director for Britvic’s Robinsons products. Ahern and Gatward were both promoted internally.

The carbonates market has declined in the past few years, with Britvic’s Soft Drinks Report for 2006 confirming the continued growth in stills versus carbonates.

Prior to his tenure with Carlsberg UK, Kirby served as European brand director for carbonates at Cadbury Schweppes.