New Marketing Manager for Wattie’s

Media Statement March 9, 2010

New Marketing Manager for Wattie’s

Heinz Wattie’s Managing Director Nigel Comer has announced the appointment of Tim Skellern as General Manager Marketing, the role previously held by Mike Pretty who is now Vice President, Global Ketchup, Health & Wellness, and Marketing Development for the parent company, HJ Heinz.

Tim brings to his new position a strong background in consumer marketing in the UK and New Zealand, including three years with Heinz Wattie’s. As Business Manager – Meal Solutions, he played a leading role in the creation of two major marketing campaigns for Wattie’s, the award-winning FMCG television commercial, Wattie’s – What Else!, as well as Beanman, the superhero used to rejuvenate Wattie’s Baked Beans for a new generation of consumers.

Nigel Comer said he was delighted to welcome a person of Tim’s calibre back to the company. “He has a strong understanding of the Wattie’s brand and and its loyal consumer base, and brings his personal and professional spark to our business. His style will complement the strong leaders that we have in the existing senior marketing team.”

Tim had three years with Wattie’s after immigrating with his family from the UK in 2004. He left in 2007 to establish his own brand consultancy business, Black Sheep Brands, and worked on brand and marketing programmes with Sacred Hill Wines, and Tegel Foods amongst other consumer goods companies. He is also an industry representative on the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation Council.

In the UK, Tim worked with Unilever, including periods as regional brand manager and global project manager for the Lynx (Axe) male grooming range, and for Bausch and Lomb, as European Marketing Manager, responsible for sunglass brands including Ray-Ban.

On returning to Wattie’s in the lead marketing role, Tim said: “There’s a great team of people, a great portfolio of brands, and a great history at Wattie’s.

“Wattie’s is an amazing brand, and remains consistently the number one grocery brand in New Zealand, In addition, there are a number of other leading brands within the Heinz Wattie’s portfolio, that all have enormous consumer potential. Making sure that the Wattie’s brand stable is in good health, meeting consumers’ needs and fulfilling their potential is critical. Growth will come from our collective understanding of consumers better than anyone else and continuing to deliver real, relevant and appreciable value.”

Tim holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Cambridge University, and is also a graduate of the Unilever management programme, a prestigious consumer goods training ground.

He takes up his new role on March 15.

ENDS

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