Innocent appoints group marketing boss in management shake-up
Innocent has drafted in Bacardi’s Tim Clarke as group marketing director and Coca-Cola Enterprise’s marketing boss Nick Canney as managing director of its UK business in a senior management shake-up designed to lead “ambitious brand and innovation plans” in 2015.
Clarke, who has been with Bacardi for six years in senior marketing roles most recently as senior global brand director, will oversee marketing across all of its regions and products, Franz Bruckner, who had been group marketing and innovation director as well as overseeing its German business will focus on the latter.
Canney, previously VP of sales and marketing at CCE Great Britain is replacing Dave Pickup, who left in March. Elsewhere, Andreas Welsh joins from Iglo as Northern Europe regional head.
Innocent is targeting faster pan-European growth through product development and category expansion. Group sales across its European markets have grown 9% in 2014 to date, according to the brand in a statement announcing the new hires.
Several new products have launched over the last years including a “more refreshing” smoothie range, an expanded juice range and a super smoothie range.
However, UK sales have fared less well. According to the latest Britvic soft drink report value sales of its smoothie range rose by just 1.4 per cent in 2013, while volume was flat at 2%.
