Goodyear rejigs top ranks to bolster consumer focus

Goodyear Dunlop has restructured its senior management team in a move that the tyre company says will allow it to focus on consumer marketing and strengthen its brand.

Marketing director Neil Burrows is promoted to retail director as part of the rejig.

The changes have been implemented by Goodyear Dunlop’s managing director Mark Brickhill, who joined the company from Procter & Gamble last year (MW June 22, 2006). Burrows, who is a former Nissan marketing director, will be responsible for the development of the Goodyear Dunlop’s HiQ brand in his new role.

Brickhill says: “The investment in HiQ will require a marketing focus to raise the profile of the brand, and Neil has invaluable experience in premium automotive retail marketing.” Burrows joined Goodyear Dunlop from Nissan Europe in 2003 (MW October 16, 2003), where he was responsible for pan-European advertising and brand strategy. He was the tyre company’s first marketing director. As part of the restructure, Brickhill has created a customer strategy team that will be led by Mark Davison, who joins this week from Nestlé.

Brickhill says the move will allow the Goodyear Dunlop brand team, headed by Mark Dilks, to concentrate on consumer marketing.