B&Q marketing director David Roth to exit after new chief joins

B&Q marketing director David Roth is to leave the DIY retailer, which has been hit by a recent slowdown in sales, at the end of the year.

Roth’s departure, which was tipped in Marketing Week, follows the appointment of a new chief executive, Ian Cheshire, at the retailer earlier this month (MW June 9).

A replacement will be recruited by the end of the year to take on the broader role of customer proposition and marketing director.

Cheshire, who as the retailer’s international and development chief executive was responsible for launching B&Q in China, says: “The change in the marketing director title underlines a new emphasis on our ‘customer first’ culture. B&Q is a great company and a great brand but it has untapped potential.”

Roth, a one-time planning director at Bates UK before the agency’s demise, will continue to work at the DIY retailer until the end of the year. Thereafter he will work on a consultancy basis for the retailer.

A B&Q statement says: “Roth wants to redevelop his former business strategy and communications consultancy.”

B&Q Asia managing director Steve Gilman has also been brought in to work at B&Q for a three-month period to lead format development.

Holding company Kingfisher appointed Cheshire in response to City dissatisfaction with B&Q’s performance in the UK and Irish markets. Like-for-like sales were down 7.7 per cent for the 13 weeks ending April 30. The retailer has been hit by a slowdown in consumer spending and squeezed by pressure from rivals such as a revitalised Homebase.