Marketing jobs facing the axe in Red Bull restructure

Red Bull has embarked on a massive restructuring of the business, which is expected to include marketing redundancies, following the arrival of managing director Nigel Trood to replace Harry Drnec in May.

The company is understood to be consulting with its marketing team about their future. It is understood that Red Bull is keen to streamline the company across the board although it denies that this comes ahead of a sale.

Trood has appointed planning director Anoushka Feiler to marketing director following the promotion of Guy Carling.

The consultation with the marketing team is understood to follow a string of departures from Red Bull over recent months. These are thought to include Neal Taylor, head of sports, Alan Clarke, director of on-trade sales, the head of motor and air sports Linda Pelham, and Mike South, sales director. The company declines to confirm the departures citing “data protection”.

Trood confirms that the company is undergoing a restructure but denies that it has made any redundancies or that it has started a consultation. He says: “We haven’t made those decisions yet.”

He adds that the restructure will not be completed until the end of the year.

It is also not clear what the departure of its sports teams will mean for the future of its extreme sports sponsorships, such as the European Red Bull air race.

In recent years, it has moved toward more mainstream sports such as Formula 1 racing and baseball. Trood says there will “potentially” be another air race next year.

Trood was previously director of off-trade sales and was promoted following the departure of Drnec in March. He had been with the company for 12 years and it is credited with turning the fortunes of the brand by developing its positioning as “stimulation for body and mind” and through sponsorships targeted at younger consumers.