Marketing boss quits Toshiba after two years

Mike Brown, marketing director at Toshiba, is leaving the company after two years to become a consultant.

Managing director John Bennigsen will be responsible for marketing until a replacement is found.

Brown’s consultancy will specialise in consumer electronics.

Bennigsen says: “Brown has made an important contribution to Toshiba’s business in recent years. He played a significant part in the development of the highly profitable home cinema TV market with the launch of our first range of surround-sound TVs almost ten years ago.”

Brown heads the UK Digital Video Disc (DVD) committee, which comprises representatives from consumer electronics and film companies who are looking at ways to promote the new technology.

The DVD committee will discuss next week whether his departure from Toshiba will affect his role as chairman.

Brown joined Toshiba in 1988 as marketing manager and was promoted to marketing director in 1997. In the mid-Sixties he turned his back on a career with The Who, having played in a precursor of the famous group, the Detours.