P&G switches UK beauty chief to worldwide post

by Melanie Godsell, Marketing 02-Aug-06

Gary Coombe, Procter & Gamble's general manager, beauty, UK and Ireland, is to give up his UK responsibilities to become general manager, fabric and homecare new business development.

Coombe, who will take up the position from 1 September, will not be
replaced in the UK, since his job, which was largely to oversee the
integration of the Gillette business, following its $57bn

acquisition by P&G last year, is nearing completion.

Coombe's global role will be based at the company's US headquarters in
Cincinnati.

The three divisional marketing directors, who previously reported to
Coombe in the UK, will now report to Gianni Ciserani, vice-president and
general manager UK and Ireland.

These are Nigel Smith, marketing director for Gillette/grooming and
healthcare; Keith Martin, marketing director for skin, cosmetics and
healthcare; and Tom Moody, marketing director for haircare and
oralcare.

Coombe said that his new role would cover responsibility for NPD, as
well as mergers and acquisitions and strategic alliances.

He will report to Dimitri Panayotopoulos, group president, global fabric
care, and succeeds John Mang, who will be running fabric and homecare in
North-East Asia, based in Japan.

Coombe joined P&G in 1986 and has worked as marketing manager Pampers
UK, marketing director UK laundry, and general manager for customer
business development, UK and Ireland.

He was promoted to general manager beauty UK and Ireland last September
(Marketing,7 September).