MBS News

Wednesday
August 25, 2010

Industry headlines from Moira Benigson Executive Search

Retail

Asda Drops Fuel Prices Ahead Of Bank Holiday

Asda will drop the price of fuel at its pumps by 1p a litre in time for the bank holiday weekend. Asda customers will pay no more than 110.9p for unleaded petrol and 113.9p for diesel, the lowest price since December.

Marks & Spencer To Press Ahead With Midlands Store Closures

Marks & Spencer is to proceed with the closure of four stores in Lincolnshire and Warwickshire, which locals had campaigned to keep open. The shops had suffered declining sales for some years.

Consumer Goods

Dell Debuts First US Smartphone At $100

Dell has released its first US smartphone, a 3.5-inch device called the Aero, which will cost users $100. It uses Google's Android operating system.

Puma Extends Sponsorship Deal With Bolt

Puma has extended its sponsorship agreement with Usain Bolt until 2013, which encompasses two world championships and the London Olympic Games.

Mars And Milky Way To Cut Saturated Fat

Mars will cut the saturated fat content of some of its most popular products from next month in a move to comply with new health guidelines.

Digital And Online

Apple Talks With Media Giants To Rent Shows

Apple is reportedly in discussions with News Corp, Disney and other media giants to rent TV shows to viewers for 99 cents through iTunes.

Fashion, Lifestyle And Luxury

Paul Smith To Open Store In Claridge's Next Month

Premium brand Paul Smith will open a womenswear store in Claridge’s hotel in London next month. The store, which will be located next to Claridge’s Ballroom, will sell womenswear, footwear and accessories.

United Nude Wins High Court Ruling Against Shoe City

Anglo-Dutch footwear brand United Nude has won a High Court design dispute against Irish footwear retailer Shoe City, which allegedly copied three of its designs and tried to “pass off” as its own.

New Exhibitors At Londonedge And Londoncentral

Retro footwear brand Warrior Clothing and rock and punk brand Underground Shoes are among a raft of footwear brands to sign up as exhibitors of next month’s edition of streetwear shows Londonedge and Londoncentral.

Travel And Leisure

Coffee Republic Strikes Deal With Shell

Coffee Republic has partnered with Shell, whereby the coffee chain's "To Go" range will go on sale in 450 Shell forecourt stores over the next year.

On The Move

McDonald's Marketer Jill McDonald To Become UK Chief Executive

Jill McDonald, currently chief marketing officer at the UK arm of fast food giant McDonald's, has been named the UK's new chief executive. Current CEO, Steve Easterbrook, will assume a new global role at the company.

Nestlé In Strategy Review After Confectionery Marketing Chief Leaves

Terri Tinella, Nestlé’s UK marketing director for confectionery, is returning to Canada just 18 months into a three-year contract. She will take up the post of managing director for confectionery at Nestlé Canada.

Seasalt To Launch Contemporary Sub-Brand Following Appointment Of Saltwater Creative Director

Lifestyle brand and retailer Seasalt has appointed Saltwater’s Laura Watson to the new role of senior designer to spearhead the development of a contemporary womenswear sub-brand for Spring 12.

Twitter Hires Adam Bain As Head Of Global Revenue

Twitter has appointed Adam Bain, previously president at Fox Audience Network, to be its first president of global revenue.

The Weatherman Says...

The south sees some evil rainfall this afternoon. Most likely the west and southernmost tip will bear the brunt, but the south as a whole will be deluged from lunchtime today. Can someone recommend a good book? I am stuck, trapped in a barren landscape of literary starvation. My veined orbs are crying out for some kind of linguistic stimulation. The Beano (whilst generally recognised as a timeless masterpiece) just ain't cutting the mustard.