Kingfisher appoints Woolworths marketer

By Marketing Week 18 Nov 1999 12:00 am

Kingfisher has appointed a Woolworths marketing director to replace Alan McWalter, who defected to Marks & Spencer.

Ken Lewis, managing director of Kingfisher entertainment chain MVC, has been named as the new Woolworths marketing chief.

Lewis has headed the 70-store music and video chain since January 1996. He takes up his new role in January 2000.

Lewis has worked within the Kingfisher Group since 1985. He rose to the position of Woolworths director for toys and games, before moving to Kingfisher’s Internet business EUK and joining MVC as managing director in 1996.

A spokesman for Kingfisher says Lewis is keen to “finish work he has started at MVC”.

A replacement for Lewis at MVC has yet to be appointed but is expected to be internal. Woolworths operates almost 800 stores and spends £22m a year on advertising through creative agency Bates UK and Zenith Media.

The retailer has been without a marketing director since McWalter left in September, immediately after announcing his move to M&S. He joined the troubled chain as board-level marketing director to lead the second phase of its marketing review.

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