Heinz appoints CMO from Unilever
Heinz has appointed Unilever’s global vice president for brand development Matt Hill to the role of chief marketing officer for Heinz UK & Ireland.
Hill will join Heinz on 23 August, having been global VP for brand development of Knorr Masterbrand & Soups at Unilever since 2007. He will report to Dave Woodward, president of Heinz UK & Ireland.
Heinz says it is re-instating the Heinz CMO role, last held by Suzanne Douglas who was appointed managing director of Heinz Australia in February last year.
The company says this “is a clear signal of Heinz’s strong commitment to driving the brand portfolio forward and putting the consumer at the heart of the company’s agenda, whilst ensuring that the company continues to win both in the short and long term.”
The role will see Hill build on the work done by Heinz’s four category marketing directors – Giles Jepson – Sauces and Soups, Paula Jordan – Beans, Kids and Meals, Jane Jeffreys – Baby Food and Paul Sternlieb – Frozen Foods.
He will also be tasked with continuing the focus on innovation, brand development, and long term plans for sustainable growth over the coming years.
Heinz recently announced new investment in its baby food portfolio, as its board reviews the future of its Nurture baby milks range in the UK.
In February, it repeated its £5m “It has to be Heinz” umbrella marketing campaign, following a noticeable increase in sales after the initial burst.
