Cadbury European chief exits

Cadbury European president Tamara Minick-Scokalo is leaving the confectionery company after just six months in the top job amid an overhaul of the confectioner’s senior European team.

European commercial operations director Ignasi Ricou is to step-up to take a wider role as a result of Minick-Scokalo’s departure and a wider management shake-up, Marketing Week has learned.

The restructure is the second top level overhaul in less than 12 months at the confectioner. Minick-Scokalo took over the top European post in January following a shake-up that also saw the departure of Britain, Ireland, Middle East and Africa president Matt Shattock and the axing of 250 global management jobs.

The company seems to have managed its business during the recession relatively well so far, given results posted mid-June which show a sales rise in the UK and the US during April and May, following a slow start to the year. Cadbury was unavailable for comment about the management shake-up.

The multinational, which counts Dairy Milk and Trident gum among its top brands, announced last year it was restructuring its business units and cutting jobs in a bid to strengthen its focus on category development.

Minick-Scokalo joined Cadbury as global commercial president in 2007 from cosmetics multinational Elizabeth Arden, where she was a senior vice-president. She has worked across marketing, research and development and manufacturing for multinationals including Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble.

Ricou is a former general and marketing manager for Princes food brand owner Adams and joined Cadbury as central and southern Europe managing director in 2005.

UK marketing director Phil Rumbol is not affected by the changes.