Pocket Phone Shop senior marketer in sudden exit

The Pocket Phone Shop’s most senior marketer, Christine Shead, has left the company in the middle of an advertising agency pitch.

Shead, who had been running the pitch with founder and managing director Simon Jordon, left with no job to go to after being with the company for nine months. She is believed to have gone on holiday to the US.

Two agencies are thought to be making final presentations to Jordon, who will now complete the appointment process alone. The appointed agency will produce the company’s first major advertising activity.

The company is seeking a replacement for Shead as marketing manager responsible for planning all marketing activity and reporting directly to Jordon.

In addition, the retailer is recruiting to fill two new marketing positions – brand controller and marketing analyst.

The brand controller will develop brand strategy and co-ordinate all point-of-sale advertising and merchandising and the analyst will analyse customer base and market intelligence.

The Slough-based Pocket Phone Shop has 120 stores nationwide but intends to expand this to 200 by the Millennium to rival Charles Dunstone’s successful Carphone Warehouse format which sells phones for all four mobile phone networks with independent advice.