News Group loses marketing director to rival

News Group Newspapers marketing director Roland Agambar is leaving the company to become chief marketing officer at rival Associated Newspapers. His move comes as parent company News International appoints Jeremy Schwartz.

Agambar, who is marketing director across The Sun and News of the World, joins Daily Mail-owner Associated. His responsibilities will be taken on by Allan MacCaskill, head of brand marketing at News Group Newspapers.

Schwartz was appointed to the new role of chief marketing officer this morning (January 23) and will take up his role next month. Katie Vanneck, interim managing director of News International’s digital division, will continue to head marketing for The Times and Sunday Times.

Schwartz joins from Conival, a specialist food and drinks brand consultancy, where he was chief executive. Previously, he was marketing director for L’Oréal and Sainsbury’s in the UK and director of marketing and innovation for The Coca-Cola Company across Europe.

The role was created in June last year when James Murdoch (pictured), Europe and Asia chairman and chief executive of parent company News Corporation, merged the top commercial, marketing and managing operations of News Group Newspapers and Times Media divisions (MW.co.uk June 23, 2008).