Sean Dowie, the ex-Kellogg marketer redrafted to the post from South Africa in January, is this month shifting to become senior brand manager on Special K, the company’s biggest brand. It is worth more than £100 million and encompasses six cereal variants and bars.
“We are sorry to lose Sean; he was settling in extremely well,” said marketing operations and media controller David Walker. Although Dowie’s new role is at the same level as the one he is vacating, “it is seen as an opportunity,” Walker said.
Kellogg was keen to fill the Special K post as rapidly as possible and Dowie’s general marketing background made him a suitable candidate, he added.
But recruiting to the newly vacant promotions and licensing post is likely to be “challenging,” predicts an insider, given that it covers a wide spread of promotional techniques and a broad product portfolio spanning the children’s, adult and snack categories.
The new incumbent will wield a multi-million pound budget and be responsible for a team of four or five in Manchester and also pan-European projects. “This has to be one of the top promotional jobs alongside McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Walkers,” said an observer. “It’s unlikely to be filled before the summer.”
The job became vacant when Elisa Webb moved in December to become senior innovation manager for kids’ snacks.
Dowie replaces Peter McMahon, who takes up a new commercial role within Kellogg on the Continent on March 5.
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