Tourism Ireland promotes GB chief amid restructure

Tourism Ireland has appointed head of Great Britain Simon Gregory to one of its most senior marketing positions in Dublin as it prepares for the launch of its new global advertising campaign.

Gregory, a former bmi marketing director who only joined the Irish tourist body in April (MW April 7), has been made director of brand development and marketing reporting. He will take over the role in January.

His promotion is part of a restructure of the directors’ roles at Tourism Ireland, which includes the appointment of director of markets and customer relations Joe Byrne to head of North America. Byrne will report to Gregory. Earlier this year, director of marketing Niamh Fitzpatrick resigned. Gregory will absorb some of the responsibilities of the roles vacated by Byrne and Fitzpatrick, but the organisation is recruiting a director of central marketing to work alongside Gregory and director of corporate services and policy Niall Gibbons. It is also seeking a new head of Great Britain.

Next month the organisation will unveil its three-year â¬50m (&£34m) global advertising and media campaign, created by JWT, which won the account last year (MW November 18, 2004).

The campaign will be aimed at “sightseers and culturalists” who are more likely to visit sites outside the main metropolitan areas. Tourism Ireland says the theme of the new campaign will be “Great places and activities – brought to life by great people”.