Troubled Peugeot UK parachutes in boss from France

Peugeot Motor Company has appointed French executive Pierre Louis Colin as UK managing director, just weeks after UK chief Christian Geraud moved in the opposite direction.

Geraud left at the end of November to take up an unspecified role at Automobiles Peugeot. He was UK managing director for three years. Colin, who has been with the company for 17 years, was a zone director in the overseas sales department in Paris before joining Peugeot UK.

Peugeot is facing a difficult time in the UK with sales in decline. Car sales were down 21 per cent in November compared with the same period last year and overall car sales for 2005 are down 15 per cent.

The company has also slashed production of its 1007 van just six months after its launch because of poor sales. It had to cut production at its Poissy plant near Paris to 70,000 units a year and holding company PSA/Peugeot Citroën is set to lay off 550 temporary workers as a result.

Peugeot moved its &£3m direct marketing account to Clark McKay & Walpole at the start of this month, ending a 14-year relationship with EHS Brann, whose parent Euro RSCG handles Peugeot’s advertising.

PSA reappointed OMD to handle its &£64m UK media planning and buying account in September.