Top marketer on board at Neal’s Yard Remedies

Neal’s Yard Remedies has appointed Shireen Valipour as director of marketing, a newly-created board level position. She joins as the organic and ethical health and beauty company gears up for major UK and overseas expansion.

Valipour, who has already taken over the role, is restructuring the company’s marketing department and reviewing the brand’s positioning and product range. She also plans to appoint an advertising agency and other marketing services agencies as soon as possible.

Valipour has a 20-year background in the health beauty sector, having worked for companies such as L’Oréal and Unilever and brands such as Schwarzkopf and Clairol. She has also worked at advertising agencies including McCann Erickson, Gold Greenlees Trott and DDB London.

In February, the retailer appointed Jonathan Hook as managing director to spearhead its expansion. Hook, a former Carphone Warehouse retail managing director and later director of channel management at Orange Group, created the new marketing role at executive board level. Hook’s search for a “heavyweight marketer with the experience to exploit the fast-growing natural beauty and healthcare sector” began in March (MW March 6).

Hook says he intends to add ten branded stores to Neal’s Yard’s UK portfolio of 21 company-owned shops and nine franchises.