Gap marketing chief quits amid job cuts

Gap vice-president of marketing for Europe Clare Dobbie has left the company after three years. It is not known if she has a job to go to.

A Gap spokeswoman says Dobbie has left for personal reasons. The spokeswoman would not confirm if it is looking to replace her or if it is planning to restructure the department.

Her departure comes just months after the clothing retailer announced that it was cutting jobs as part of a move to restructure itsEuropean marketing and design teams into a more centralised arrangement.

In August, it reduced its London marketing team and increased its focus on e-commerce and store expansion, with its US head office taking the lead on advertising.

Later that month, it reported a 51% rise in profit for the quarter ending August 2, compared to a year earlier, despite disappointing sales across its brands.

The rise was attributed to cost-cutting measures it had put in place across its other brands – Banana Republic and Old Navy.

It posted a rise in net profits from $152m (£81m) to $229m (£123m), despite sales dropping 6% on its North American and international divisions.

In the same month, Gap moved its integrated account out of Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel, which has since been folded into sister-Omnicom agency Proximity.

The retailer appointedKitcatt Nohr AlexanderShaw without a pitch (MW August 14).

Phd currently handlesits media planning and buying account and was not affected by the review.