Electrolux picks UK brand director

Electrolux Major Appliances UK and Ireland has appointed James Methven as product and brand director. He joins from luxury goods supplier Mercator London, where he was sales and marketing director.

Methven, who has already taken over the role, will be responsible for managing the product and brand marketing teams as well as dealing with day-to-day product and marketing activities. He will also be responsible for strategic commercial planning for the group.

He will report to Alexander Darwazeh, senior brand director for Electrolux European, and Brad Tribble, vice-president and managing director UK.

Methven takes over the role from Steve Holton, who joined the company in October 2007 (MW October 10, 2007) but left after less than a year in the role. It is not clear if he had a job to go to.

Methven has held a variety of roles across brand development and strategy at companies including Unilever and Coty Prestige (Davidoff).

He was also a global brand director and group brand manager for hardware, home products and office products company Newell Rubbermaid.

Tribble says the appointment will “bring considerable knowledge to the marketing teams and allow Electrolux to accelerate its brand development plans and strengthen its position and share in both UK and Ireland.”

In December, Electrolux, which also makes the AEG and Zanussi brands, has been forced to cut more than 3,000 jobs from its global workforce due to falling sales of electrical goods.

The manufacturer is also planning to move its production to low-cost countries as part of a cost-cutting initiative that will be completed by 2010.