Heineken marketing director quits to return to US

by Mark Sweney, Marketing 08-Dec-04

Heineken UK marketing director Leslie Meredith is leaving the company after three years to return to her native US.

Meredith, who was brought in to spearhead the UK launch of the brewer's premium-strength 5% lager, is understood to be moving to Leo Burnett Chicago to work on the agency's Kellogg account.

Heineken was unavailable for comment on Meredith's planned departure, but is thought to be considering handing marketing control to senior brand manager Gayle Harrison.

Following the expiry of Whitbread's licence to brew the 3.5% ABV Heineken in February, the brand relaunched in the UK as the 5% ABV lager that it sells in the rest of the world.

The relaunch brought an end to the brewer's 30-year relationship with ad agency Lowe because of a conflict with rival premium lager Stella Artois.

In 2002 Meredith held a pitch for a UK ad agency to launch the beer domestically instead of running international work by one of Heineken's global agencies. Clemmow Hornby Inge picked up the £9m task.