Imperial in search for global chief

Imperial Tobacco, owner of the UK’s second biggest-selling brand Lambert & Butler, is looking for an international sales and marketing director.

The company, which is poised to overtake Gallaher as the UK’s biggest tobacco company, has created the new post as it expands into strategic overseas markets, such as Asia Pacific and Eastern Europe.

A source close to Imperial says: “Both Gallaher and Imperial are promoting their international business as much as possible. The domestic market is marginally declining, although it is still immensely profitable. They are both very strong in the UK, but neither of them have a significant international business.”

Imperial holds a 38 per cent volume share of the UK market, with Gallaher on about 39 per cent. Imperial was recently spun off from Hanson, and is now valued at 2.2bn by the stock market. In the UK, it manufactures and markets brands which include Embassy.