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Mattel, the UK's largest TV toy advertiser, has split the role of

marketing director into two and promoted two of its senior staff to the

posts. The appointments come as part of a wider restructuring of the

marketing team.

Sara Reader and Simon Waldron, who have both held senior positions in

sales and marketing, have been promoted to business unit managers. They

will oversee a restructured marketing dep-artment that has been

consolidated from three divisions - girls, boys and pre-school - into

two.

Reader will have responsibility for the girls division, trade marketing

and market research, overseeing a team of 12, while Waldron takes charge

of pre-school, boys, entertainment and games, and a team of 13. Both

report to Mattel UK general manager Gene Murtha and will take joint

responsibility for agency relationships. Mattel uses Ogilvy & Mather for

its ads and MindShare for media.

The reshuffle follows the exit last March of UK marketing director David

Allmark, who left to join Fisher-Price as international marketing

chief.

Mattel UK general manager Gene Murtha said the company had decided to

build a team around Reader and Waldron, whose skills complement each

other and who work effectively as a team.

He added that the company, which spends more than £20m advertising

toys such as Barbie, Fisher-Price and Hot Wheels, had a record year last

year thanks to licensing properties including Harry Potter and Winnie

the Pooh.