Wilkinson Sword head marketer called up to serve with TA in Gulf

Wilkinson Sword has been forced to hunt for an interim marketing director, after Richard Nall was ordered to the Gulf last week, as a reservist in the Territorial Army.

The orders coincide with the Government’s decision to step up the UK’s military presence in the Gulf in preparation for a war against Iraq and Saddam Hussein. The UK is continuing to send soldiers and military equipment to the region, in readiness for an invasion of Iraq expected within the next six weeks.

Wilkinson Sword refused to comment as Marketing Week went to press.

Nall has been with the shaving products manufacturer for more than two years. A former Young’s Bluecrest Seafood marketing controller, he joined Wilkinson Sword in 2000, replacing Warwick Owen, who was transferred to the US in 1998.

Between 1998 and 2000, responsibility for the company’s marketing was shared between consumer marketing manager Cathy Boddy and trade marketing manager Martin Harries (MW November 30, 2000).

Wilkinson Sword was recently put up for sale by parent group Pfizer, and it is rumoured that household goods company Reckitt Benckiser will snap up the business.

Last year, Wilkinson Sword moved its &£2.9m media business from MindShare to Mediaedge: CIA. The move followed MindShare’s acquisition of rival Gillette’s &£400m global media account (MW October 3, 2002).

J Walter Thompson handles the creative account for Wilkinson Sword.