Panasonic UK marketing chief gets Euro role
Panasonic has promoted UK marketing chief Andrew Denham to a new role co-ordinating the company’s brand strategy at a European level, prompting a reshuffle that will see the UK marketing director role scrapped.
Denham will be responsible for further unifying the company’s brand direction and image among European retailers and sales houses.
Panasonic says he will act as an “important bridge” between Japan and Europe to ensure it produces a coordinated pan European communications strategy.
The newly created brand strategy director role oversees all key marketing channels including mass media, digital and store fronts.
Denham will remain in charge of Panasonic’s Olympic brand strategy in Europe, whilst John Dixon, head of brand communications for the UK and Ireland, will assume responsibility for the delivery of London 2012 marketing and communications in the UK.
Panasonic has been a worldwide Olympic partner since the Calgary Winter Games in 1988 and in March it extended its sponsorship commitments to become the 2012 Paralympic Games’ audio and visual equipment partner.
Denham’s departure from the UK office has prompted a restructure of the region’s marketing team, with three incumbent staff members assuming his former responsibilities.
David Preece will head up audio visual marketing, which includes TV, Blu-ray, audio and imaging products; John Hardy will be responsible for home appliance marketing; and John Dixon will continue to look after brand communications, but at a more senior level. All three will report to Jiro Nakami, deputy managing director for Europe.
In February Panasonic said it would pin its future profit hopes on its home appliance business after reporting heavy losses from its flagship television division.
For the full year to March, the company predicts its home appliance business to generate 6% of the company’s revenue and deliver an operating profit of ¥93 billion (£722m), making it Panasonic’s most profitable division.
