Sharp UK axes marketing director role in Euro business restructure

Sharp UK has axed the role of marketing director as part of a restructure of its pan-European business.

The company has created four business divisions – consumers electronics, information systems, energy solutions and shared services – as part of its European reform programme.

Sharp managing director Paul Molyneux will oversee all divisions, but the changes mean the role of marketing director for Sharp UK, currently held by Paul Hide, has been scrapped.

Hide has moved to the new position of operations director, where he will report to the head of shared services Motoi Yokoyama.

The restructure has also seen the position of head of marketing communications, held by Michael Gabriel, made redundant.

Marketing communications manager Martin Arnold and PR manager Suzanna Rees will continue in their roles. They will report to Molyneux, who will take on the additional responsibility of head of sales and marketing for the consumer electronics division.

In other changes, the information systems division, which includes products such as photocopiers and calculators, will be run by Marcus I’Anson, previously commercial director of the document division, as sales and marketing director.

The energy solutions division will now be run completely from the European head office in Hamburg.

In October last year, the electronics company awarded Doner Cardwell Hawkins its £3m ad account following a pitch with several undisclosed agencies.

Molyneux says its advertising arrangements have not been affected by the company restructure and changes to the marketing department.