Restructure on cards for Red Bull
Red Bull UK’s new managing director, Nigel Trood, has billed himself “the hybrid Harry Drnec”, after he took over from the high-profile Drnec last week.
Speaking exclusively to Marketing Week, Trood says he has acquired the dynamism of his predecessor but will offer a more structured approach.
Trood says he will introduce a full overview of the UK business and says one of his priorities is to iron out duplication, although he has ruled out major job cuts.
He adds/ “Red Bull needs a different approach, and to move things on to the next phase. Harry was a legend but I will lead a more structured approach. I will allow people to run their own areas.”
He has already created the new role of UK sales director, which had previously been split between on-trade sales and Trood’s old role, director of off-trade sales. Retail controller Andy Shaw is taking on the position.
Red Bull UK’s 100-strong sales and marketing team is another area which Trood has earmarked for attention, saying he want to gets the two departments “working closer together”.
Trood’s appointment comes as Red Bull rolls out a £2.5m campaign to support the introduction of a pomegranate variant of its Sabai wine spritzer brand.
Sabai made its UK debut as Red Bull’s first new product in ten years at the end of 2005.
Trood has big shoes to fill as Drnec, who left to spend more time with his family, is credited with increasing sales of the energy drink from 6 million cans in 1996 to 330 million last year.
